Mass Effect: Swept in the Storm
by Runecat311
Summary: The love story of Liara T'Soni And Lizz Shepard
1. Chapter 1

_Mass Effect Fanfic 1:_

_Liara romance:_

_Swept in the Storm_

_Chapter 1: Origin_

In a lab that had flickering lights and machines that purred a purple Asari stared at the tank that stood in the center of the lab; the green, foggy tank for the thousandth time that day. She looked down at the yellow screen of her holographic data pad and put in a few numbers.

"Heartbeat is normal, life almost complete. In about an hour or two life-form 2217 will be ready to be released." The alien spoke into the data pad that wrote down what the black jumpsuit cladded Asari spoke word per word. Suddenly, the door opened and a frail, crazy-eyed Salarian entered the room and wrapped his arms around the Asari.

"How is the subject today Samaka?" The Salarian said in a wheezy voice that had a purr to it.

"The subject is almost ready to be departed to Cerberus, Dr. Heart." The Asari smiled a convincing loving smile while speaking the pet name for her fake lover that he had an attraction to.

"Good he must be ready for Cerberus I spent ages finding the corpses and undamaged DNA they wanted; mixing the DNA into one strand of sperm, I even used animal DNA for the missing patches."

"Animal?" The Asari asked confused. "I know you used the Asari egg and DNA for biotic superiority, but I never knew we used animal."

"Yes lion was the easiest to figure out to transfer their abilities to the male human Cerberus requested. Glad you were the one to figure out the kinks with the Asari donor."

"What kinks?"

"Well Cerberus did request male to make a superior human one that will sire many super humans. I wondered of female, but for some reason females turn up fertile, not good for Cerberus demands. Cerberus must not know of my combinations either, lion traits often show such as tail and eyes, and due to Asari genetics the past 2216 experiments all were female due to the Asari genetics of making the offspring female by default since there is no gender in asari, human sperm register their capabilities as female and due to the fetus being the most dominant with the Asari genetics in the DNA strand, it goes to the default Asari gender which interprets to the strong human DNA as female and constructs the fetus as such; I needed the Asari eggs and DNA for the strong biotics that won't need amps and for the man Cerberus asked for and will have similar Asari powers, but the past attempts at making a male have been proven futile, that is why I fired all my other assistants and hired you. Everyone was of a different race and who better to work out the kink than an Asari." The Asari was grateful that the Salarian was not looking at her face or he would see her pale. "That reminds me I must have the address for the Asari donor you acquired the eggs from so I can send her the check for 100,000 credits." Samaka blinked several times, thinking fast for the Salarian was about to light up the tank and see her mistake.

"I put the information in my private terminal in the data pad next to my bed." The Salarian froze and kissed the Asari's cheek.

"A secret terminal inside a data pad? My dear you are a smart one aren't you?" He turned away and walked through the door. Samaka waited until she counted 60 earth seconds then turned on the light to the tank. Inside was a little girl that looked about eight earth years.

"I won't let him hurt you my little one." Samaka's vision grew bleary as her bright green eyes pooled with tears. She wiped them away and activated her Omni-tool. "Call Matriarch Benezia." The young Asari had a in depth conversation with the Matriarch and after having the Matriarch's blessing of dropping her test tube born child at her mansion of a house and raising the human hybrid as her own along with her own child who was at the university at the time. Samaka pressed the button that would release her child and grabbed the nude girl and wrapped her in a blanket right before the alarm blared. Samaka knew she was found out and ran for the emergency exit. The Asari knew she'd have to be stupid to take the normal route, knowing how insane Dr. Heart was she took a shortcut through an unknown alley until she hit a dead end. "Goddess help me." She panted and turned to run again, but she was facing an angry Dr. Heart holding a Raikou Pistol aimed at her.

"You'll need more than the Goddess to help you now." He said in an icy tone. "How fitting I get to kill the defective child and the lying mother."

"Please Doctor-." Samaka was cut off as the Salarian shot at her at pierced her heart with the bullet. She fell forward, cradling the child. Dr. Heart, thinking the child dead or dying from the sudden weight put upon her left the Asari and her child, covered in the mother's violet blood. When he was gone two boys made their way to the corpse one small and skinny with shaggy blonde hair, the other tall and muscled with dark hair.

"Did you see that Mark?" The blonde spoke. "He shot the ass-sorry."

"Yeah, Danny." Mark spoke. "But why would he-?" Suddenly the corpse turned over, holding out the bundle to the boys.

"Please…" She croaked. "…help….her…" Then the Asari died as the force field protecting the baby disappeared. The little one started crying and both boys covered their ears.

"Jeez, the sound reminds me of that old alley cat that would beg for food." Danny complained. As soon as it was said the crying stopped, and then the bundle rose and stood on its feet. The blanket fell and both boys viewed the little girl in all her splendor. She was a pale little thing, and looked about eight years old to them (same age as Danny) with fiery red hair and blue eyes that looked like they belonged on an Asari, and when she walked towards them, she walked with the grace of a wild cat, and had the intelligence of both predator and of Asari pouring out her eyes, her perfect little lips trembled as she spoke in a voice that did not match the ageless intelligence in her eyes.

"What happened to mama?" But neither of the boys answered her for they were looking away from the nude girl; Mark spoke to Danny.

"Danny boy go get the extra pair of boxers and a pair of pants and a shirt you don't wear anymore." Danny didn't hesitate and retrieved the items and gave them to the girl; once she was dressed Mark crouched down to her level. "What's your name there, tiger?"

"I don't know."

"Hey Mark check out the tag on her neck." Mark took the dogtag around the girls little neck at first he read 2217, but he thought that couldn't be right and flipped it around and smiled at what he read. "You're name's Lizz angel face, and we are your older brothers Mark and Danny."

_**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**_

"Right so run this by me again. What the fuck are we doing in the club?" An older looking Lizz spoke, her hair wavy, her body a slim hourglass shape, and her eyes as bright as the sky wearing a tight black tank top, ripped shorts, heavy boots, and torn, black gloves; an out of place outfit in a club especially with Mark and Danny wearing the ridiculous looking tuxs.

"Me and Danny are going to swipe a few thousand credits in black-jack, if we get caught or need you to look vicious, we'll call you over."

"And then I use my biotics and save your asses."

"Bingo, Lizzy." Mark smirked, now 21, while Lizz and Danny were 18. "Ready to put that brain of yours to work, Danny boy?" He smiled.

"Yep, I got it all figured out."

"Right. Lizz, until we need you, you can hang around or flirt around with that Asari I see you eye balling."

"Was not!" Lizz flushed. "Ok I was, later wierdos." She turned around and left the two to play their gambling game while her attention was diverted to a slim, light blue Asari in a delicious black dress that hung onto every beautiful curve dancing temptingly before her, giving a wink every now and then. Lizz approached the tempting being and spun her into her arms. "Well hey there pretty thing, what's a beautiful blue rose like dancing all alone for?"

"Well aren't you a smooth talker?" The Asari purred alcohol dominant on her breath.

"I'm honest to beautiful Asari like you." At that the beauty blushed a dark blue. "What's your name sweetie?"

"Amara." The Asari smiled, still blushing.

"Well Amara how about you and me go to the-."

"Hey dyke with the red hair….and with _my Asari_!" A big burly bearded man approached the human and Asari.

"Calm down Doug, she's just a harmless flirt."

"Shut up bitch!" Doug slapped the Asari and something in Lizz sparked and she flung her biotics at him and pinned him to a wall, and something no one saw coming was a thousand squad agents popping out of nowhere and Amara tearing off her dress to reveal battle armor and weapons of every kind going towards Doug.

"Douglas McDar, you are under arrest for assault and prostitution." Amara spoke, and once she convinced me to drop my biotics and let Doug get carried away by the force she explained it all to me. "I'm Spectre Mirala Distara. I've been undercover as one of Doug's whores, I've been waiting to get him to spring the trap I set up, but your biotics worked perfectly, you have powers to envy an Asari."

"Well yeah, you know…amps. By the way have you seen my brothers Mark and Danny?"

"The two doofuses in the tuxedoes? Yeah they're in the ER, Doug was running Black-jack, they crossed him and he hurt them." Then she saw my look. "Nothing but bruising I assure you, but Danny broke his arm so we sent them both over he was calmer around…Mark was it?"

"Yes, Mark and Danny."

"So am I to assume you are all without a name or home?"

"Er..no last name, no and no home either."

"So which brand of amp did you purchase? The SR-112 or Gemini II?"

_Oh shit._ "Uh…the SR-112 I think."

"Really? Because that brand doesn't exist."

_Mother-._

"Who are you and how do you not have some kind of amp?"

"I-I-."

"Goddess here." She placed her hand on my forehead. "Embrace eternity." Her eyes went black as she went through my past, it was all familiar to me until she went to my conception and 'birth'.

_In a lab that had flickering lights and machines that purred a purple Asari stared at the tank that stood in the center of the lab; the green, foggy tank for the thousandth time that day. She looked down at the yellow screen of her holographic data pad and put in a few numbers._

"_Heartbeat is normal, life almost complete. In about an hour or two life-form 2217 will be ready to be released." The alien spoke into the data pad that wrote down what the black jumpsuit cladded Asari spoke word per word. Suddenly, the door opened and a frail, crazy-eyed Salarian entered the room and wrapped his arms around the Asari._

"_How is the subject today Samaka?" The Salarian said in a wheezy voice that had a purr to it._

"_The subject is almost ready to be departed to Cerberus, Dr. Heart."…_

…"_Well Cerberus did request male to make a superior human one that will sire many super humans. I wondered of female, but for some reason females turn up fertile, not good for Cerberus demands. Cerberus must not know of my combinations either, lion traits often show such as tail and eyes, and due to Asari genetics the past 2216 experiments all were female due to the Asari genetics of making the offspring female by default since there is no gender in asari, human sperm register their capabilities as female and due to the fetus being the most dominant with the Asari genetics in the DNA strand, it goes to the default Asari gender which interprets to the strong human DNA as female and constructs the fetus as such; I needed the Asari eggs and DNA for the strong biotics that won't need amps and for the man Cerberus asked for and will have similar Asari powers, but the past attempts at making a male have been proven futile, that is why I fired all my other assistants and hired you. Everyone was of a different race and who better to work out the kink than an Asari." The Asari was grateful that the Salarian was not looking at her face or he would see her pale. "That reminds me I must have the address for the Asari donor you acquired the eggs from so I can send her the check for 100,000 credits." Samaka blinked several times, thinking fast for the Salarian was about to light up the tank and see her mistake._

"_I put the information in my private terminal in the data pad next to my bed."_

"_I won't let him hurt you my little one." Samaka's vision grew bleary as her bright green eyes pooled with tears. She wiped them away and activated her Omni-tool. "Call Matriarch Benezia_."

"_You'll need more than the Goddess to help you now." He said in an icy tone. "How fitting I get to kill the defective child and the lying mother."_

"_Hey Mark check out the tag on her neck." Mark took the dogtag around the girls little neck at first he read 2217, but he thought that couldn't be right and flipped it around and smiled at what he read. "You're name's Lizz angel face, and we are your older brothers Mark and Danny."_

_****_

She released my mind and I felt dizzy and confused.

"Damn. Dr. Heart." Mirala muttered. "You are in danger Lizz."

"What?"

"You heard me Lizz, you need to get somewhere where your powers won't stand out, Dr. Heart's a mad man and he'll do anything to kill you."

"What did you have in mind?" I asked the Asari and she beamed as an idea formed in her mind.

"How'd you like to join the army."

_****_

_**A few months later**_

I felt nervous, I've never felt as nervous as I did now. Mirala said my powers would fit right in, but now all the flashing of the cameras over something small had me antsy. Some male named Captain Anderson spoke into a mic.

"Early in Private Lizz's military career she found herself facing an overwhelming enemy force. She risked her own life to save her fellow soldiers and defeat the enemy despite the impossible odds. Lizz, your bravery and heroism have earned you medals and recognition from the Alliance fleet. Ypu almost single-handedly repelled an attack by batarian slavers on Elysium." Ok maybe a not so small thing, but still this was too much. "And now, Lizz, I ask you to join me in my fleet as second in command." I was stunned, and humbly accepted, and a party started. During the party Mirala approached me.

"I thought I told you to keep a low profile." She giggled. "How's it feel?"

"Feels great." I smiled. "Does the war hero get a kiss?" Mirala sighed.

"You know I could die tomorrow." The Asari shook her head.

"That didn't stop me from pursuing you or you from almost embracing eternity with me." I smirked at the memory; Mirala looked away, flushing.

"I could…show you now." She faced me in that irresistible long dark colored gown with that beautiful smile.

"Why not?" I smiled and pulled her by the waist towards a private room. Once we were in and the door closed, Mirala connected her lips to mine and pushed us on the bed. She straddled my hips and started kissing down my neck, ripping off my vest and bra; she stopped momentarily and stared into my eyes.

"Are you ready, Lizz Shepard?" She smiled her toothy grin, remembering how we came up with my fake last name.

"I've dreamed of this with you, Mirala. I love you."

"Don't love me, you'll only get hurt. But…I love you too." I smiled, rubbing up and down her back, when I felt like it I grabbed the zipper on the way up and pulled it down; when I pulled off her dress she was wearing lacy lingerie.

"Hot." I smirked as Mirala pulled down my pants and boxers.

"Not as hot as you, Lizz." She sucked my nipple as she started rubbing my pussy. She touched her forehead to mine when I whimpered from pleasure and muttered 'embrace eternity' and it felt…there was no word to describe it. No words to describe my first time feeling her finger enter my hot wet core, no way to explain how she felt what I felt and know exactly what I liked. There was no way to fathom how great it felt when we climaxed together and feel her inside me until she knew it was hurting me and removed her delicate finger from inside me. "How was that, my love?"

"It was amazing Mirala." I shivered from the cold and she snuggled up to me like my own little kitten. I never wanted this to end.

The next day she went on a mission, when she returned she came back in a coffin. The killer is unknown to this day, and the Asari appointed Nyxeris as their next Spectre. I was wounded; it's said that swans die when their partner dies, but for some reason I could not, and before I could finish mourning I was put on Captain Anderson's ship for various missions. And soon I realized Mirala was right if I loved I'd get hurt, so I vowed I would not love anymore

_****_

**Right soooo…..DONT HURT ME! I'm sorry updates are slow my laptop caught a virus and I had to start all over sooo yah sorry for the late story and the second dragon age story is on its way**

**Later, I love you all**

**~Runeat311**


	2. Chapter 2

_**Chapter 2: Commander Shepard: Biotic, Friend, Spectre**_

_**Two Years after Chapter 1**_

The galaxy; so large and vast, filled with thousands of millions of intelligent species, all beautiful and important to life, but yet, I felt alone. Ever since I lost Mirala the galaxy just felt empty; especially when I lost touch with my brothers, since Mirala practically erased their memories of me to protect them if I am discovered. My love turned to pain, my pain turned to anger; my anger turned to loathing. I loathed everyone who had the person they lived with; the person to hold and care for, to kiss and make love to the one you're destined to be with. My therapy was shooting and killing and ripping and tearing and using my biotic powers to invert and destroy, but I never used my powers towards innocents; I always knew who was good and who was evil it was probably a perk that doctor whose name slips me gave me when he created me. Anyway, being on the _Normandy _was great, after Mirala's death I spent most my time on that ship working for the Alliance military. War felt amazing it was like I belonged on the battlefield and making friends with the people I fought beside and protected, I saved lives, and I never got a scratch. Today was going to be a crazy day, Captain Anderson recently got our Pilot Joker to go through the mass relay and things were getting exciting on board. After we jumped the relay I went to Joker and boy was he excited, but my sense of humor got the better of me.

"Wow Joker, you can get this big ship in a little hole, now how about you find someone to recreate that experience." Joker caught my joke and started laughing, while Alenko just looked at us in disgust.

"Now's not the time for jokes, Commander." He said.

"It's always time for jokes, _Lieutenant_." I smirked. I loved pulling rank on him when he tries to be a goody innocent virgin-boy. My plan worked and he leaned into his chair with the 'I'm going to pretend I can't hear' look. I looked back to Joker. "Hey Joker, I heard there's a Turian on the ship, is that right?"

"Yes." He said with bitterness in his voice. "A Spectre to boot, too; his name's Nihlus, one of the Council's lap dogs."

"Easy, Joker you're sounding like you don't like either the Council or Nihlus." I jested.

"I don't." He said seriously. "They just make me feel jumpy."

"That's just because you're racist." Kaiden said when he couldn't take it anymore.

"I am not!" Joker all but shouted.

"Enough!" I said standing between them. "Kaiden that was out of line; just because Joker feels a little fidgety with the aliens doesn't mean he's racist. I'm a little nervous about what this Nihlus wants too." I turned my attention to Joker. "Joker, I understand completely how you feel, but Nihlus _is _a Spectre and deserves a little respect on board even when not present." I stepped back feeling the weight of my words crash on them. Just because I have accomplished impossible tasks, never had a wound on me since the Blitz, an equal to the Asari race, and have biotic power higher up the scale than even Asari doesn't mean I get to act like an ass and threaten people. Satisfied with my own work I smiled a little until Joker snapped me into his attention.

"Captain Anderson wishes to speak to you in the com room, ma'am."

"Of course." I nodded my head curtly. "I will see to that, I'll see you later guys."

"See yah, Shepard." Joker beamed

"Good-bye Commander." Alenko just gave a polite, but yet apparent 'go screw yourself' half-wave, and I was off to the room. Upon entering I noticed the Turian talking to my captain.

'Captain." I saluted.

"At ease, Shepard." He said.

"Permission to speak freely, Captain?"

"Permission granted."

"Ok, what's this guy doing here?" I pointed to who I thought was Nihlus.

"I am the Spectre, Nihlus." The Turian spoke evenly. "I am here to assess you on this mission." I arched my eyebrows in curiosity.

"Assess me for what?"

"To become the first human Spectre in the whole galaxy." He put bluntly; what he said would've made me spit a mouthful of water if I had any.

_Me a Spectre? Protecting the whole galaxy? Just like Mirala? _I couldn't help but feel a smile of honor and pride and grief stretch on my face. "I…I don't know what to say." I stated feeling my excitement grow. "Thank you, I am honored." I said at last, controlling myself.

"I'm glad you think so." Captain Anderson said approaching me. "Because you get to show your leadership skills, you're leading this mission." He said clasping my shoulder. "They want the best of the best; it's time to prove you are that." I beamed.

_I can finally be like you. _I thought reaching and feeling a vial of her ashes under my shirt, so she could always be with me. _I will make you proud, love. Please…watch over me like you have been in all my wars._

_**XXXXXXXXXXXXXX**_

I have seen many men die before, but to see a geth, a being I've only heard about in stories shoot through the shields of a comrade, that made me think I may not come out of the mission alive. I said a few words for I did not know him well and removed his tags to take back to his family if he had any. We, as in me and Alenko, met a few survivors, but one was so scatter-brained he couldn't form a sentence that made any sense, until we saw the Husks. Upon seeing one I almost regurgitated.

_Goddess, protect my soul and preserve theirs, for they do not know who they are anymore._ It was Mirala who taught me Asari culture and religion, and I pray to both the Goddess and Mirala. The Goddess I pray for protection and saving the souls of the departed or the ones I wish to help, it is Mirala I pray to for either death to reunite or a sign for me to move on from her; so far I received none. After dealing with the Husks is when I met someone who still remains to be fairly important to my life. It was when the geth approached. There were so many of them; Alenko had amps that burned him, and my powers as strong as they are were starting to have an unknown effect on me, like I was an atom bomb on the verge of exploding, we were surrounded, I felt power building, but then three grenades exploded behind the geth attacking us and gunshots flared through the rest. I scanned the area, looking for life; suddenly a flicker of movement caught my attention and I remembered my training. I picked up a stone with my biotics and tossed it, quickly an Alliance personal appeared, female, and incinerated the stone and hid behind the boulder she was hiding from.

"We are Allies!" I hollered.

"Who? What rank?" A startled voice called.

"I am Commander Lizz Shepard!" I called back, waiting, then adding. "I prefer not to talk with a rock."

"Oh, yeah, sorry." More movement, then the soldier came into view. She had dark skin and pink and white armor, she wore her hair in a bun. _I have a feeling her personality will match the way she keeps her hair._ I thought to myself then smiled. _She'll be fun to crack. _"I am Gunnery Chief Ashley Williams, Commander." Her voice broke me from my thoughts.

"Please call me Lizz, Ash." I said with a hint of amusement.

"Oh...ok then, Lizz."

"Much better, now you mind telling me what's going on here?"

"Yes. I was put in charge of the Alliance members deployed here, when the geth attacked…we didn't…I didn't know what to do and I…" I noticed tears threatening to fall and put my hand on her shoulder.

"It'll be alright, Ashley, we'll avenge your crew, just tell me where they went."

"I'll show you." She said with rage burning in her eyes. I smirked.

"Lead on."

_**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**_

"For the last time I didn't kill Nihlus it was that guy! Saren!" I barked at the Council for the thousandth time that day. Ok catch up time; so it turns out Nihlus' best bud Saren, another Spectre shot him in the back and the only witness is a cargo hand, whose account is not being considered since the Council claims him to be delusional. Now, the reason I'm here is because I touched something called a prothean becon that wasn't supposed to be touched, and since the field was dragging stupid-ass Alenko towards it, I jumped in front of him and I touched it instead. It went boom. I had weird visions, and now I'm here on trial AGAIN because this time I had proof that Saren is working with the geth and from the damn prothean beacon I also know he's working with the same power that wiped the protheans out, I just don't know what that is, but once the goddamn recording was played with a Turian named Garrus, a Quarian named Tali, and a pretty badass Krogan named Wrex around me with Anderson and Ashley present, the Council had a look of guilt on their smug ass faces, and what do they do? Have Saren banned from the Spectres, made me humanity's first Spectre, and gave me Anderson's ship to make a team and find out what the hell Saren is up to. My first mission is to locate the daughter of Benezia's daughter Liara T'Soni who apparently is MIA at a dig site. Well, this mission wasn't first, actually, the Asari Councilor tried to talk me out of it, but I don't know why I just feel so drawn to finding her. I even knew where to find her on the map! So now I'm in my Captain's Cabin, waiting for Joker to take us to a volcanic planet. I took this time to get some Z's because I knew I'd be needing them.

_****_

**Ok finished this chapter x.x you would not BELIEVE how many times I had to rewrite bits of it because some stuff didn't get completely saved and had to wing the bits unsaved from memory! Ok next chapter is when we meet Liara. Will Shepard take the hint from her old lover beyond the grave? When will she meet Dr. Heart? How will she react to Benezia upon meeting her? Find out in the next few chapters.**


	3. Chapter 3

_**Chapter 3: Saving Dr. T'Soni**_

I remembered how Mirala made me feel. Warm and amazing, important, cared for and…loved. I felt if there was anyone in the galaxy that could make me feel anything like how Mirala made me feel the Goddess or Mirala would lead me to her, but she hasn't and so I remain alone in the vast galaxy, matchless on a volcanic planet abundant with Prothean ruins. Don't ask me how I knew where to go I don't even remember half the systems in this damn galaxy, I just point and say 'let's go here!' I'm not always right, but I felt it in my core that Liara was here, alive and in need of help. Not hurt, but still needs help. I ran down a passageway with Tali and Ashley whom I both love dearly as sisters; Tali because her tech skills and lingo are just so adorable, and Ashley because I get under her skin and I love getting her reaction, and even when she won't admit it she loves it too. Anyway, we were making good progress with little to no resistance from the geth, inside the ruins that is, running swiftly down the hall.

"You sure she's close, Skipper?" Ashley asked as I was ten feet away from them, they keep trying to catch up with me, but I just can't stop. Suddenly, I did stop.

"Can't you guys hear that?" I looked in all directions.

"Help…" I heard a very sharp voice ring in my ears.

"Hear what?" Tali asked.

"Ya, Skipper; now's the bad time to get delusional."

"Shut up! It's this way." I darted left, the right, then down stairs then jumped a cliff. _How can they not know where she is?_ I growled to myself. _It's as if they can't-._

_Stop._ I froze at the voice. Funny though, it was _mine_. _Look to your left, Shepard. _I looked and there was the most exhausted looking Asari I've ever seen. She looked up at me and I smiled a bit.

_Silly girl got trapped in a force field, like a little bird caught in a net or had its wings clipped._ I thought. _By the Goddess look at those eyes._ Liara looked weak, but by the Goddess was she pleasing to the eyes. She had the skin of a pureblood (learned from Mirala), her eyes so dazzling; reminded me of the bright blue skies I traveled, she didn't look no older than 100 (also learned from Mirala). _She has a nice body and rack for not even hitting the Matriarch stage. _I mentally slapped myself. _Stop Shepard!_ Quickly I changed tactics.

"Hey there." I called. "I see you might need some help."

"Yes, thank the Goddess!" Liara spoke through the force field. "I've been stuck here for days since I activated these shields to protect myself from the geth while studying the ruins; I got caught between it."

"I see that. Just one question, you are Dr. T'Soni, correct?"

"Yes, but you can call me Liara, please."

"I am Commander Lizz Shepard, but you can call me Lizz."

"Lizz, If you can get me down I would be eternally grateful."

_I bet you would. _I shook my head. _Stop! _

"Once my team gets down here I'm sure my Engineer, Tali will find some way to get you down, which won't take long, so don't worry your pretty crested head about it."

"Shepard!" I heard Ashley's voice and Tali and Ash's footsteps come to a halt behind me.

"Speak of the devils." I turned to them. "Doctor Liara T'Soni will be joining us if we get her down. Tali? Any ideas?" I asked the Quarian.

"Well we could-."

"Wait, Shepard, are you sure this is a good idea, I mean what if she's working for her mother?" Ash asked with a look of suspicion to Liara.

"What is this about my mother?" Liara asked. "I am not informed what she is doing, I was here looking at the ruins, and if I did know I am not my mother, I can make my own decisions." I turned to the dumbstruck, guilty Gunnery Chief.

"Need anything else?" I asked as Ash shook her head.

"As I was saying before the interruptions." Tali spoke, giving a glare to the suddenly bashful Ashley. "I saw a drilling laser over there." She pointed to the other side of us. "I could use that to damage the generators enough or dig a hole to the other side, but I have a feeling you prefer the first idea."

"Yes I do, Wiz-kid." I said clapping Tali on the shoulder; I then turned to Ashley. "Ash, think you can provide back-up for her in case any geth show up?" I asked the Gun Chief and she saluted to me.

"Can and will, Commander." She reported and chased after Tali to the drill, leaving me with the beautiful Doctor whose looks seemed so familiar to me, but I hadn't pondered the thought long before she spoke.

"Lizz?"

"Yes?"

"Not that I hate your company, quite opposite in fact, but why are you here with me and not with your team?"

"Because, Dr. T'Soni-."

"I told you, I prefer you call me Liara." She stated with humor in her voice and an unfamiliar emotion shinning in her eyes. I shook my mind violently.

_Must not get attached._ I thought. "Well, Liara, when that shield gives out, gravity will kick back in, and because you've been suspended for over 24 hours with no food, rest, movement or water, your little legs probably won't be able to support your body, so that's what I'm here for." Liara laughed.

"You plan on giving me yours, _Commander?_" She asked half seriously.

_Little bird is doing that on purpose. _I thought. "Not at all, Liara, I plan on catching you with the grace of a puma. Oh, and I thought I told you before to call me Lizz." Liara laughed uncontrollably at my comment and at my quick mind at catching her calling me 'Commander'.

_She has Mirala's sense of humor, and a beautiful laugh._ I thought to myself, and then thought of something. _Is this…is this Mirala's sign? No…no it can't be her sign, and if it was, Liara wouldn't be interested, I kill people for a living after all, and I could die tomorrow, like Mirala did, and why would she want-? _

"Lizz, watch out!' Liara called. I felt the hairs raise on the back of my neck and leapt to the side as the laser blasted where I was, the barrier holding Liara up deactivated and I used my biotics while still in mid-air to shoot myself to a point where we could intersect, caught Liara in my arms, and landed on my feet with no trouble. I panted from preforming the maneuver as I looked down at Liara.

_She's so beautiful…_ I thought with admiration and pain, seeing her eyes opening from blacking out when she was released. "Hello." I said when she reached consciousness.

"Hello." Liara echoed, dazed, looking up at me.

"Do you think you can walk?" I asked her.

"I…don't know." She answered. "Try putting me down on the ground, but…please be gentle." I nodded, trying to be serious and not think of her saying the same words to me in a different situation as I slowly and gingerly lowered her to the ground. As her foot touched the ground she flinched and clung tighter to me. "If you don't mind…I wish to be carried by you."

"Of course." I nodded curtly and respectfully. "Just relax and we'll get you medical attention in no time, Liara."

"Shepard!" I heard Tali's voice as she ran from the drill and approached us. "Shepard, are you alright? Are you hurt? I tried calling out to you, but-."

"I'm fine here, Tali." I spoke evenly, easing her worry, and then motioned to the Asari in my arms. "But this one needs some attention." Tali looked to me, to Liara and I saw a keen look in her eyes through her helmet.

"Sorry, Shepard, but Ashley used the last of the medi-gel when she was hit by the geth getting in here." Tali spoke seriously, although, I didn't remember or recalled Ash getting hit so bad that she used our last supplies, or she would of informed me, but I shrugged it off, maybe I couldn't remember it for whatever reason.

"Alright, Tali, we should get-." Suddenly the whole place started shaking, and everyone knew what that implied. "We should get out of here!" I barked over the noise of the quaking; I looked around to find Ashley, who had yet to appear. "Ash! Let's go!" Suddenly, Ashley appeared, shooting at hidden enemies, rolled, then ran to us, and what I saw behind her almost made me sick. "Oh shit…Husks!" There was a mass of Husks running after her. Quickly I motioned to the elevator. "Tali, get in there, and get it working, now!" I barked as I put Liara down gently in a safe section of the elevator to protect her from any threat. "Stay here, now." I spoke calmly to Liara who was shaking her head to try and clear it. "I'll be back soon." I swore to this beautiful Asari before rushing back to my previous spot with my assault rifle in my hands. Ashley was closer, but not by much. "Ashley!" I called out to her. "Get to the elevator, I'll cover you!" She heard me and dashed for the elevator as I shot down row after row of the endless sea of Husks.

"Shepard! Get your ass in here!" Ashley screamed. I tossed a grenade and ran to the elevator, the doors shut closed before the grenade exploded upon the mosh pit of zombie-like creatures. I made my way to Liara and picked her up again and sat down with her in my lap, which surprisingly relaxed her, and held her as I reached for her feet.

"Which one hurts?" I asked her, touching the first foot I came into contact with. She flinched at my touch, and I could tell something was pulled, strained or broken. "That one, huh?" I replied calmly. "Don't worry, once we get to the ship I'll-." Suddenly the elevator stopped and I smirked, realizing we made it. "Time to go." I spoke softly, cradling her in my arms but as I stood I felt something was wrong. _Very _wrong. I turned around and I saw a Krogan aiming me down with a shotgun and geth by his side.

"Human, put her down! We were ordered to take her to Saren alive, but if you resist I won't mind bringing her back dead." I felt rage boiling in me, I carefully put Liara down, putting my hands up and before anyone can move, I swiftly crushed the two geth at his side with my mind. "I'll skin you alive for that, human! You and that Asari bitch!" I forced my biotics out to him at the same time he launched his to me. Now it was going to be a battle of wills. I felt energy surge through me like on the colony, but this time it kept building. The Krogan looked at me and laughed. "I'll make you burn yourself out, girl, then I'll deal with your Asari _pet_! _After_ I have a little fun with her." He smiled with his dragon teeth, his eyes burning in rage, blood-lust and just lust for Liara, and something snapped in me. Suddenly, without warning, my powers withdrew inside my mind and absorbed his. I felt myself levitating as I fed off his power. I glared at him, feeling biotic electricity release from my eyes as I walked and spoke.

"You…will…not…hurt…her!" I felt a rush as I released an explosion of energy, protecting the innocent and melting the Krogan to a puddle of organic goo. Even after he was dead I refused to let go of the power.

"Shepard!" Ashley called out, I turned to her and Tali; I approached them, and I felt my body tensed for battle.

_Kill, Kill, Kill! _My voice echoed through my mind, a primitive, hungry voice in my mind chanted it. _Kill those that harm her, that __**will **__harm her!_

_No! Stop! It's Ashley!_ I pleaded with myself, tying to gain control. I felt my arm charge with biotic power, I felt nothing would stop this raw power or me, but then I heard a voice.

_Lizz, stop._

_Mirala?_

_She's safe, the Krogan is gone, she's safe and your inner being can rest now, no one will take your love away._

_**Liara? No one will take?**_ I heard the weird brainless side of me talk to Mirala.

_That's right, Liara's safe._

_**Safe…Liara…safe…**_ I felt the creature lay dormant as I gained control and made contact with the ground. I looked with my normal eyes to see Liara calm, but intrigued, Tali standing calmly, as Ash clung to her, pale as clouds.

"That is…fascinating, I've only seen Asari use and control an inner biotic being, let alone a feline."

"Fascinating?" Ash nearly screamed, looking from Liara to Tali. "Fuck fascinating! Shepard! What the fuck was that!" Liara smirked and giggled as she began to explain, but she was cut off from the violent rumbling of the ruins. "Ok, you know what? Fuck it! Fuck it! Just fuck all of it; let's get the fuck out of here and on the fucking ship!" She fumed, heading towards the exit. She turned, pointed to me and almost said something, then shook her head. "_Just_ _fuck it!"_ I picked up Liara as Tali and I shared our laughter, then jogged towards the entrance, trying to reach Joker through the comm unit.\

"Joker, extraction needed now!" I barked as the ruins crumbled behind us.

"On my way, Commander." I saw the _Normandy_ and the entrance a second later, and Tali and I jumped on with Ashley already there. I closed the door as we pulled out, watching the ruins explode and collapse. Once on board, Joker wasted no time in having a joke about the whole mission.

"Hey, Commander, next time can you-?"

"Joker, I'm sorry, I love your jokes, I really do, but Li- I mean Dr. T'Soni needs medical attention."

"Roger that, Joker out." I rushed the passed out Asari in my arms to Dr. Chakwas in the med bay.

"Chakwas!" I panted , holding Liara. Chakwas looked at Liara and motioned to the nearest bed. I placed her down, explaining what happened. "She was suspended for more than 24 hours, her legs are weak, she's dehydrated, probably has a broken foot and-!"

"Shepard, relax." Chakwas put a comforting hand on my shoulder. "I'll take extremely good care of her, it's my job after all. Why don't you debrief with the crew in the comm room, hmm?" I nodded my head and started to walk out of the room, until the doctor said something that was the first step to my realization. "Funny…Shepard, if I didn't already know I'd say this one here's your Bondmate." She said pointing to the passed out Liara with a knowing smile on her lips. "Go on to that debriefing before you're late then, go on." She shooed me out of the med bay with my head spinning.

_My…Bondmate? _Suddenly my thoughts snapped. _Mirala's ashes! _I reached for the pouch that I had around my neck, but it wasn't there. _My sign! _I thought in amazement. _I thought it was superstition that the mate of an Asari loses the item most closest to the Bondmate when it's time to move on! That means…_ I thought then smiled. _Liara was my sign after all. So much like Mirala, but…she's just so much…more…_ I smiled thinking of the rescue mission, how I doubted myself, now I know since I have the blessing of my former Bondmate and basically a 'you'll have her no matter what' sign, then I thought back to when I killed that son of a bitch Krogan with my power, then felt my eyes widen in shock. _Shit…maybe I can get away with saying Mirala trained me? Like the last time that almost happened. _One thing I knew for certain was that Ash was going to kill me for not telling her sooner. Everyone (minus Alenko and Liara) knew I am a genetic freak. I told Ash because I feel like I've known her back when I was just a recruit, I told Tali after we earned each other's trust, Wrex just knew; he said something along the lines of he's a freak, so he knows a freak when he sees one, and Garrus, well…he is brilliant at being a C-sec spy after all. I finally stepped into the elevator praying to the Goddess no one will make a big deal out of what I told them.

_**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**_

Unfortunately, it didn't turn out how I hoped, but it wasn't Ash who nearly had their head torn off.

"I'm sorry, run this by me again, you have an Asari _What?_" Alenko growled in anger.

"It's an Asari…well….I'll call it an inner being since you can't say the word properly, for Krogan it's a temper tantrum, but it's…different for Asari."

_When an innocent is in danger, a certain type of Asari with an inner 'being' comes out until all is safe this is the Amore Anemal or animal of the heart, when the hearts' desire is in danger, it's different. Instead they turn into a killing machine; a biotic beast that can or will harm it's hearts' desire. it's called an…Amore Guardian, and it's hearts' desire is the Protected for a single word or touch of her or him calms the Asari down. _I remembered Mirala telling me this long ago while we were trying to see if the Professor who created me gave me the power to be an Amore Anemal, but it turns out he had no part of it, and now I know I am bound to Liara in ways she doesn't know…yet.

"She's human though!" Alenko shouted, bringing me from my thoughts. "She's obviously unstable, uncontrollable even, she should be stripped of her rank and stay on the ship! Her and the Asari!" He spat the word as if it were a curse, and I felt my blood boil like it did on the lava planet, Ashley saw this and motioned Alenko to stop, but he kept going on. "We don't even know if that bitch can be trusted! I mean she could just flay us alive with her-!"

"Shut up about Liara!" I nearly roared, feeling my voice change. "Shut up you fucking idiot or I'll-!"

"Be at peace, Kroga." Wrex stated, pushing down on my temples with both his thumbs, and instantly I felt the beast keep at bay.

"Thank you, Wrex."

"Not a problem, Commander, it's what we do to the young ones." He grunted. I turned to Alenko, who looked like he pissed himself.

"What if I had Wrex or Liara on a mission since they both know how to calm me down?" I Suggested calmly; the Lieutenant nodded his head vigorously.

"Yeah, that'll be…suitable." Alenko stated as I stood to end the meeting.

"Good, now if there aren't any _further _interruptions, I wish to check up on our newest recruit." I proclaimed as I escaped the room and made it to the med bay with no one else stopping me to talk to them. I walked through the doors to work my Shepard charm on the Asari to find the bed I put Liara in empty.

"She's in the back." Dr. Chakwas said pointing to the room from her computer; I gave her a questioning look, but she spoke before I said anything. "You're the only person who visits the injured whether or not it's your crew." She answered my unspoken question.

"Th-." I began my thanks before she cut me off again.

"You're welcome, Commander." She said to my partly spoken thanks. I nodded and made my way to the door, once I opened it I almost laughed at the scene before me. The once injured Asari fine and well, typing at a terminal, eating an apple and drinking some juice and water.

_The little blue train who could. _I thought with a smile. _Babysteps Shepard, or you'll reopen old wounds. _I warned myself as I strolled over to her still unnoticed.

"Hi there." I said leaning against a pillar close to her desk; she looked up from her screen and gave a small smile at me.

"Come to check up on me, Lizz?" I gave her a smile back and nodded.

"How're you feeling?" I asked her, concerned that she was hiding her pain. "I was…a little worried."

"Why so worried?" She asked, cocking her head to the side. "It was only my foot."

"I just know how important it is to Asari to be able to move; to use stealth and skilled biotics to defeat their enemy in combat. I know Asari use a mind link to help heal as well as for mating, but, we didn't have that kind of ability…to heal you I mean."

_Yet. _I thought to myself smugly. I used to train with Mirala, but now I try to join minds with my fish. Liara looked pleasantly surprised at what I had said to her and spoke to get me out of my past.

"You certainly know a lot about Asari." She said. "Because no human I know knows that much about us on their own." I nodded my head to her statements. "Then you must know I'm a Pureblood?" Again I nodded.

"Quite frankly, I prefer the Purebloods" I said matter of factly with a hint of flirtation in my voice, that was taken the wrong way by the Doctor.

"Oh? Oh! So you have…Joined with Asari before?" A hint of sadness crossed her features for no other reason than she liked me and wanted me as much as I wanted her. I felt I had to say something before this love ended before it started.

"One Asari." I said a little frantically; then regained my calm. "Just one…she…used to be the Spectre for the Asari."

"Oh…Oh Shepard!" She spoke hesitantly, then put the pieces together. "I'm so sorry…I heard Mirala Joined with a human, but I didn't know it was you." She rambled on, but then stopped herself and took a deep breath. "You were her first you know."

"No I…didn't know that, Liara." I said, looking down at the ground. "We were friends before we were lovers for one day…she…she warned me not to love her. I didn't listen…" I felt tears well up before I could stop them; suddenly I felt her hand touch my cheek and turned it to look at her. She brushed my tears away with her thumb, and I felt as if my core was on fire from this touch.

"Lizz, she was lucky to have you. True she did not have any lovers before you, but that was because she was afraid of being loved! You're not like that. I see it. You have a passion for what you do; too much passion just for yourself. I know that if you thought what Mirala thought then, it wouldn't last much longer. Mirala will give you a sign or the Goddess will and you'll find someone willing to travel to the stars and beyond with you." She spoke these words to me even though we just met hours earlier. "And you care too much about others not to want to find love." She smirked as she saw that the tears no longer flooded my face, and I smirked too.

"Wow, Benezia and your sire must be proud to have someone like you as their daughter." I spoke, then felt her hand just now leave my cheek as she looked at me.

"I…never met my sire." Liara said. "Sometimes I think that she might've been ashamed to have me as her Pureblood daughter." She spoke as if speaking of the weather

"Hey now, don't say that." I gently and slowly reached out to her and found myself wrapping my arms around her as she clung to me and placed her head on my shoulder.

_Goddess, even when she's hurting she's so beautiful. _I thought. _And her skin is as soft as her hand._

"Liara, I know how Asari reproduction works...your sire created you on purpose, she didn't run from you, but from your mother, and if she did well…she missed her opportunity to help Benezia raise an intelligent, kind, beautiful Prothean expert all done at...100years of age?" At this Liara giggled.

"I did it half out of spite, my mother was strongly against it, but one day she just let me take my own path; it was…liberating…" She looked up at me, still clinging to my shoulders. "And I'll have you know I am 106." I whistled and winked. "Looking pretty damn good for 106." I flirted and she caught it as a gentle blush flared her face and retracted her hands from my shoulders and my hands were…._oh Goddess…_I quickly retracted my hands from Liara's waist, feeling a blush flare on my cheeks and saw purple cheeks on her face.

_So cute._ I thought in want; Liara snapped me back to our conversation.

"So what about you, Lizz? What do your parents think? They must be very proud to have their daughter a Spectre, the most powerful Biotic in human history and all her powers under control with no amp whatsoever." She spoke with an arched eyebrow.

"How did-?" I cut myself off as I looked at the screens that had a fan-made page of me on it. "uh…?"

"Oh!" Liara turned off the screen, and fidgeted in place as I looked at her. "I didn't think you would care to talk to me…" She muttered.

"So you decided to do a research report on me?"

"No! Oh Goddess no! I er…I'm terrible speaking with people, and I thought I'd make it awkward between us and get no information on you or talk to you and become…your friend." I smiled.

_What if one of us wants to be more than that? _I purred in my mind.

"I'm surprised your research didn't tell you I was an orphan." I said.

"Really?" Liara looked surprised. "Do you know who your parents are?" I nodded my head.

"Liara…I wasn't born like normal humans…I-"

"Shepard to the comm…stat…" I looked up at the intercom, feeling like this won't be the last thing he interrupts.

"Who is it?"

"It's the Asari Councilor, Shepard. She…says to tell you don't ask why."

"Oh shit!" I remembered now. "Tell her I'll be there soon."

"Roger that, Commander, setting up link." I turned to Liara.

"I'll…be back momentarily…"

"I'll be here, Lizz." She smiled and seemed hesitant, then hugged me lightly.

_Babysteps._ I thought. _Babysteps is fast enough right now. _I hugged her back, marveling in her skin's softness; when we let go I nodded to her and left, feeling lighter and happier than I have in a long time. _I think she loves me back. _I thought, heading to the comm room.

_**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**_

_I think she loves me back. _The now lonely Asari thought as her doors closed. It took every ounce of her willpower not to tackle Lizz to the ground and kiss her when she saw her, but she hadn't a clue why._ Small steps, Liara, small steps or you'll end up chasing her away. _Liara sighed and turned to try to focus on her work, but found it near impossible with that human on her mind. _No _She thought. _Not just any human, Lizz Shepard, a Spectre with a power of an Asari and fragile heart. _She thought. _And a mysterious past. _She sat in her chair and contemplated when Lizz would be back and just began thinking of the beautifully irresistible human woman who took her breath away.

_**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**_

**Yeah, Bioware, no offense I love you guys, but having Liara play the 'I thought I'd look stupid so I decided to look you up on the internet after we JUST had one conversation' stalker card does not roll with me, so I had it BEFORE Liara talked to Lizz not AFTER! It makes no sense, but I love the romance otherwise. Yeah, so I decided something serious yesterday…Instead of the originally intended 'Kallian's Awakening' I am going to go into Dragon Age 2 instead of explain what happened like Bioware did, but unlike Bioware you'll find out what happened to Kali and I will NOT have Leliana be all like 'I loved her, but then after 100000000 times fucking her I decided to be a Sister' no, NO. I'll make it a little more real and a little less default. Ok, that's all oh yeah, the Dragon age 2 story will be called 'Bleeding Hawk' I believe after Merrill and her blood magic and Elizabeth 'cuz you know her last name's Hawke…get it? Huh? Huh? No? ok then. It's also like 'Unlocking Leli's Heart' 'cuz she metaphorically kept her heart locked, and Kallian is a rogue, and they pick locks…huh? Huh? Ok you know what forget it. Later y'all!**

**-Runecat311**

**Oh yeah…I don't care if you hated it or read two fucking words of this REVIEW PEOPLE! Please?**


	4. Chapter 4

_**Chapter 4: Haikus and a Rap**_

I dashed through the halls of the ship for the comm room.

"Please don't let me be late. Please don't let me be late." I muttered under my breath before the console flickering with light; pleased with myself, I turned it on to see none other than the Asari Councilor.

"How are you, Lizz?" She asked in genuine mother-like concern, I smirked at first then felt my lips make a huge smile as it dawned on me why she asked.

"I got my sign." I smiled wildly, seeing her smile too.

"I am glad; although all Asari mourn her loss, it is good to know Mirala, with the guidance of the Goddess, decided to help you move on from her loss." I nodded my head silently as a sudden creeping thought loom in the back of my mind of a certain Asari Doctor; she noticed the change of my demeanor and voiced her sudden unneeded concern. "What is on your mind, Lizz?" I sighed knowing I couldn't hide anything from her, but trying to find the right way to put the information I was about to tell her. I am no stranger to this Councilor or this certain Asari, in fact, when Mirala took me off the streets, and before we were together, she placed me in the home of the Councilor after Mirala explained to the aged Asari my story and of my origins. The Councilor was sweet, she was the only one I felt comfortable enough to call my mother, she was there for me when most just disappeared, and she seems to be the only Councilor who ever believed in me. Mirala said that if I stayed with her I'd understand politics; I smiled and shook my head, remembering how I lasted only a year at her place before Mirala was convinced I'd be safer in her apartment. It wasn't because I hated staying there, I just loved Mirala more, but now, now I know that the feelings I have for Liara are more than what I had for Mirala. The Councilor broke me from my thoughts with a familiar coaxing, soothing method whenever I had something on my mind. "You can tell me anything, my mighty troubled warrior." She cooed in her familiar motherly tone, and peaceful memories flooded through me as I sighed and decided to tell the only one who I believe is the closest thing to a mother I'll ever had in on what was on my mind.

"I know I can trust you, maman." I said using the Asari word for mother. "Do you remember when and how Mirala tried to train me to discover my Amore Animal?" The Councilor smiled at the memory.

"Yes." She spoke as her eyes sparkled and her demeanor lightened. "Her training sessions always made you so frustrated when you couldn't do it."

"Well…it's kind of funny, really….It turns out I'm more of an…Amore Guardian." I said lamely and my adopted mother's eyes widened as she connected the dots as to what that could possibly mean.

"You…you are Liara's Amore Guardian?" She stuttered, but then relaxed a little as she mulled over the information in her mind. "Does she know?" She asked referencing the Asari that captured my heart. I shrugged, honestly not sure if she did or not.

"I don't know. She was…rather calm while I was transformed, and knew I was going to regain control before attacking my squad, but then again any Asari around strengthens the control of an Amore Animal." I reported. "Oh, and before you ask, I was calmed when Mirala's spirit entered my mind and calmed it down." The Councilor chuckled a little before being serious.

"Although it is true fellow Asari can calm an Animal just by word, touch and presence alone, she might connect the dots that she is your Protected. Just….I'd wait later to tell her….a lot later, actually." A thought suddenly snapped in her brain and asked the question as soon as it came into her mind. "Wait…Does this mean-?"

"Yes, I…I intend to have Liara as my Bondmate…or try to." The Councilor listened to my words and nodded in acknowledgement.

"Very well." She said in her business-like tone when dealing with matters of the heart, but then a sparkle shinned in her eyes and she smiled with pride. "She will be very lucky to have you as her Amore Guardian." She smirked slyly. "Just a word of caution, my newly introduced Guardian. A Bond, and that means a Bond of any kind, between a daughter of two Asari and her Guardian causes the said Protected to fall into more…" She was looking for a polite term and I knew it. "…primitive behaviors…" She finally put. "And the Guardian would-."

"Yes, Yes, Maman…I know, ok? That is why I am going to not have her do any sort of mind meld or Bond of any sort with me, not even if it's just innocent. I can't afford to lose control to that particular emotion; I have a lion's DNA for the Goddess' sake!"

"I know you'll try, Lizz." My adopted mother smiled fondly at me before winking. "Again, congratulations. I am so proud of you Lizz and I wish you luck."

"Thank you, Maman. I love you."

"And always remember that I will always love you, like I would if you were of the numbers of my birth children I raised." I smiled and waved to her as the comm unit closed; I waited until the last flicker of light disappeared before heading to my room. I knew what I had to do as I sat at my private terminal; I looked through top secret files the councilor sent me on how Amore Guardians controlled their inner beings, and from the looks of them, my guesses of working out and cold showers wouldn't help at all, in fact, they made it worse. There were stories of Asari melting the weight room with their biotic powers in attempt to control themselves, and there was a rumor that cold showers can lead the Guardian to become paralyzed or die of shock. Masturbation or sex turns out isn't successful either; it was like chancing sex with an ardat-yakshi in which some of these sexual releases led to the best pleasure one could feel, but you died right after. Guardians, it turns out, do not require a physical need or release to control, but prove of wisdom, a mental exercise only through, Goddess I'd never believe…

"Poetry, original songs or sonnets inspired by the Guardian's Protected?" I read out loud, questioning the method, then shrugged. "Worth a shot." I put simply, pushed my chair away from my desk and went to begin my training. First step was releasing the being; I focused on the hateful words towards Liara, the Krogan...the being was released and I could feel it, but before the beast's mind gripped my control I muttered under my breath, the beginning to her poem.

"Blue for the tears I cried;

Black for the souls that died.

Tears I wept for you…

…Praying…Praying to the Goddess that it was true."

I felt the fire dimmig inside me as the beast started closing itself in my mind.

"Nevermore will I see her,

Nevermore will she be near."

The beast (lion I believe) purred to the beat of my poem and I decided to end it before I got too cocky so I can be in control and the beast to lay dormant.

"But when I look at you…I just want to hold you and feel…no…fear." The beast let go of my mind and retreated to my heart. It purred as it began to go back into its slumber.

_Nevermore will there be fear._ The beast in me purred as I panted, in control of myself, and not levitating or shooting lightening. A sudden knock on the door disturbed my attentions.

"Come in!" I called to who I thought could be Tali or Ashley at my door, what I didn't expect was the muse of my poem enter through the door, into my liar with the grace of a swan, but the nervousness of a mouse.

"Shepard…hello." She said shyly and I saw a blush immediately erupt on her cheeks, realization struck me that she was nervous to be in here. My room. The Lion's Den. Where she could become the prey. I shook myself mentally from the various images that flashed through my mind.

_Bsbysteps. _I reminded myself before Liara continued to speak.

"I...I wanted to know if you wish to talk to me again since we were…interrupted." She put simply, and my jaw dropped when I realized Liara possibly reciprocated my feelings, but to what extent I did not know. Liara took this as a bad sign and started to do her adorable little ramblings. "It's alright if you're busy, or if you don't want to, I knew there was a chance of that. Especially since some of the subjects we talked about were possibly too-."

"Relax, Liara." I cooed gently. "It's alright, we can talk; I loved talking with you earlier, in fact." I spoke with a small surge of giddiness. "What is it that you wished to discuss with me? I'm sorry I'm horrid with small talk, I never know which topic to speak of." At this Liara's blush grew a bit darker as she fidgeted in the spot she was in.

"I...I loved talking with you as well." She said suddenly. "I was wondering if you could tell me of your parents, since we were interrupted before you could tell me much." Liara concluded with a small encouraging motion.

"Oh." I said simply. "Well then…maybe you should sit down; it's a long tale indeed." Liara practically beamed in relief that she wasn't chased out and sat on my bed; I sat next to her as I told my tale to her. "Liara, I…I was adopted into the Asari Councilors' family…a long time ago." I put a little too simply. "She's like a mother to me."

"What Happened to your birth mother?" She asked quietly, although I felt she already knew the answer.

"Dead." I put bluntly.

"Did the same fate befall your father?" I sighed, trying to find the correct wording for my story that would not scare her off.

"Liara, I'm different from most people. I was brought here from-."

"Shepard, we are approaching the colony of Zhu's Hope." I froze as once again, Joker interrupted the most important conversation I wanted to give to Liara.

"Thanks, Joker!" I called up to the speakers rather sarcastically. Once I felt Joker wasn't listening in, I turned to Liara. "Liara, we'll finish this discussion after the mission, I promise." She nodded her head politely and knowingly at my words.

"Good luck, Lizz." She said almost in a tone that one might carry with their Bondmate; I smirked a little as I approached her.

_Almost. _I thought as I handed her my lucky pistol.

"Good luck to you as well." I said patting her on the shoulder; she looked the gun over, quite puzzled as I tried to hold back my laughter. "You're coming with us, silly. I need either you or Wrex at my side to keep me calm remember? And I'd much prefer your Asari words, contact or presence than Wrex's killer mind grip." She practically lit up as she holstered the gun and stayed close to my side as we exited my room and joined me for the elevator ride.

_Hopefully now I won't lose control, now that I know what calms me. _I thought as the elevator steadily reached our destination.

_****_

"When I look up at the sky, I think of your skin,

Why didn't I meet you first, where have you been?"

I muttered an improvised beginning of a poem as the Asari's clones started attacking us. An innocent Asari, forced to produce her DNA and cater to the whims of a corrupted plant known as the Thorin. I shot at another vine-like weak-spot of the bulbous plant, leaping over corpses and sprinting to get to the next weak area. Inside my mind, I felt the beast breaking through barriers to gain control of me, and I could not let that happen.

"I need your love, more importantly, I need your touch.

Your love I never could get enough of, there is no such thing as 'too much'."

I recited the words to no avail, as I battled the beast inside while a surge of the walking dead and clones surrounded me. I looked to Liara and in one final attempt to try to control myself I barked my orders in rhyme.

"Liara! Shoot it! Shoot the weak part!

Lest these things devour my heart!"

Liara aimed at the final vine as I lead the clones to me, feeling the beast sink its claws deeper and deeper into my mind. Dark green and angry Asari clones swarmed, and I didn't know how much longer I could control myself. "Hurry!" I called out desperately, now paralyzed from the pain in my mind as the beast toyed with me giving me control, then taking over a little more. I witnessed in shock as a clone grabbed Liara and began pulling her towards the obis the Thorin was suspended over. "No!" I roared, the beast finally in control as it surged power from my core sending a shockwave that sent the clones around me sprawling in different directions. I flew over to Liara with my biotics and sunk a biotic claw of exploding energy into the clone that had seized Liara. "Must protect…" I felt my voice growl under strain of battle. "Must save…Must save Liara!" My beast voice growled; the beast turned my body suddenly when and explosion sounded behind us and I saw Ashley holding a gun aiming at the spot that used to be where the weak point was and I heard the Thorin fall, but the beast was not sated. "Must eliminate threat! Threat to Liara!" The beast growled in my voice; I lept to Ashley and felt my arm charge with energy as Ashley fumed in anger.

"Fuck not again!" She muttered. "Liara, if you don't mind! Mind control her! Touch her! DO something!" She spoke, growing paler as my arm charged with more and more biotic energy, very aware of what I can do to her in this state of mind. I fought with all my might, trying to recite on the spot poems in my mind, but as one might be aware of, my rhyming sucked, and it sucked more when I was under control of the beast. I didn't have time to think of a good start of a poem before my biotic cat arm felt Liara's touch and sent it through my spine.

"Lizz, you can relax now." She cooed silently as if she's done this before. "We are all your allies, and we are all safe. You protected us, you protected all of us."

"And protect you?" I felt the beast say in my voice, practically purring.

"Yes, yes you protected me." I felt the beast surrender its control over me and I felt myself regain control of my body.

"Thank you, Liara." I said rather weakly, feeling my whole body tremble from exerting so much power and using almost all my energy to try and control the beast. Liara didn't have a second to reply before a fleshy pod released the trapped Asari that the clones were based off of, although, the real one was blue. I rushed over to her as fast as I could as she slowly but surely stood on her own feet. "Who are you?" I asked as the Asari shook her head to clear it.

"I am…Shiala…thank you for saving me…" She looked to my side and her eyes widened as her eyes met Liara's form. "Is that…_you're _Benezia's daughter, aren't you?"

"Yes, I am, what of it?" Liara answered rather coldly, with a hint of fear in her voice.

"She…I used to work with her, before Saren…fed me to the Thorin…he…he made an agreement with it…he promised peace in exchange for the Cipher, once he got what he wanted…he tried to kill it, to stop you from stopping him."

"So he knows we are on his trial." I spoke, understanding and prompting the Asari to continue with her tale as to where Saren might be. She nodded, mistaking my statement for a question.

"When I was in that…that thing…it entered and intruded my mind and…forced its memories into my consciousness and extracting my own…it was not gentle…" I turned to Liara when she gasped in shock from Shiala's story and I felt myself grow paler and…angry. Shiala noticed my anger and went on her knees and started weeping. "I…I will give you the Conduit just please…please don't hurt me!" She begged for she misunderstood the direction of my anger. I softened as she clung to my leg; I pitied her and gently touched her forehead.

"I won't hurt you, Shiala I promise. I never planned on it; once you give me the Conduit that will help me stop Saren you are free to go. I promise." I spoke soothingly so as not to scare her; the poor thing has been through enough already. I helped her up once she let go of my leg and cleared her eyes of the unnecessary tears. She nodded her head at my words.

"A-Alright I-I trust you." She trembled as her fingers touched my temple. "Embrace Eternity." A rush of information flooded my mind. Images of beings dying and their screams…the Protheans dying, burning, screaming in pain, and being collected by creatures; a ship! A ship with tendrils, looking more like a squid…a giant metallic squid…I heard more screams as flesh was being torn and sown onto machines! Suddenly I was back, I felt myself swaying, and muttered the word 'Reapers' before darkness clouded my vision, and I was down.

_**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**_

"…Shepard!" I weakly opened my eyes to bright lights and dark shapes. The lights blinded me, I covered my eyes, but then felt a hand hold down my arm and my eyes steadily adjusted to the light as I recognized Liara's form, and her grip on my arm, and my surroundings…I was in the med bay. On the Normandy.

"Liara?" I called out in a croak.

"Lizz? Lizz! Lizz, are you alright?" Suddenly, Dr. Chakwas came into my line of sight, chuckling like she did when I was stressing over Liara while checking my pulse.

"Of course she's alight, Dr. T'Soni, I told you there wasn't any need to worry." Dr. Chakwas spoke with a small wink directed at me. "I'll give you two a little time to talk, but I want no other crew members as visitors after you, Liara. She's fine by the way; she just needs some rest, actually lots of rest." Dr. Chakwas spoke before Liara could voice any of her concerns, and just like that, the Doctor left, leaving me with Liara. I just then noticed that she was sitting beside my bed, and was holding my hand lightly instead of holding my arm down like before.

"Lizz…are you alright?" She asked, noticing me wondering around in my mind.

"Yes, I'm alright." I spoke while trying to sit up, but then I laid back down when my head started hurting from painful throbbing when a flash of Prothean memories played like a movie in my vision, as if I was really there. Once was it clear is when I attempted speech.

"I…wow…I can't really make heads or tails of the Cipher...it's all going through my mind too much to make sense of anything but death." Liara thought for a moment, and then spoke up.

"I…as you know, my species join minds for more than sex and reproduction…I could join to your mind to try and relieve you of the memories, and perhaps help in figuring out what the Cipher means." I hesitated, thinking of the Councilors warning for only a second, but that second was enough to have Liara doubt herself and doubt herself and drop my hand in embarrassment. "I knew it was a stupid idea. I'll just-."

"No." I spoke calmly while I grabbed her arm. She stood frozen as I made my way down so I gently gripped her wrist and brought her hand to my temple. "It's ok." Liara nodded, understanding my intent and closed he eyes while gently placing her other hand on my uncovered temple.

"Embrace Eternity." She spoke the traditional and ancient Asari words and I felt her enter my mind. I saw a myriad of memories flood to her. The Cypher started to flood to her consciousness, but then a part of my past slipped through my mental defenses and then, my whole past flooded to her instead of the Cypher

_"Heartbeat is normal, life almost complete. In about an hour or two life-form 2217 will be ready to be released."_

_"You're name's Lizz angel face, and we are your older brothers Mark and Danny."_

_2217_

"_Lizz!"_

_2217_

"_LIzzy!" _

"_Lizz, you can never see Danny and Mark again, I have to make sure they have no memories of you, it's so Dr. Heart can't use them for information."_

"_You…you are Liara's Amore Guardian?" She stuttered, but then relaxed a little as she mulled over the information in her mind. "Does she know?" _

"_Although it is true fellow Asari can calm an Animal just by word, touch and presence alone, she might connect the dots that she is your Protected. Just….I'd wait later to tell her….a lot later, actually." A thought suddenly snapped in her brain and asked the question as soon as it came into her mind. "Wait…Does this mean-?"_

"_Yes, I…I intend to have Liara as my Bondmate…or try to." The Councilor listened to my words and nodded in acknowledgement._

She left my mind and looked at me with an expression I could not even try to begin at reading, and I felt a fear crawl into my gut.

"Liara, I'm sorry!" I cried out frantically, feeling suddenly weak as my vision grew blurry from forming tears. "I didn't mean to hold this information back from you! I just didn't want to-." I was cut off as I felt Liara's finger on my lips, silencing me, and I realized we were both panting from the Joining.

"Sh." She said silently. "You were scared I'd not accept a human with the DNA of Asari and animal and whatever else that Salarian put in you?" She asked me, and I nodded my head as an answer. "And you didn't want to tell me you are my Amore Guardian because-."

"Because I didn't…I mean…I thought I'd scare you, Liara!" I blurted, interrupting her, but I didn't care I had to tell her, this was my only chance. "I never want to scare you, Liara or hurt you, _ever!" _I felt myself panting more than I already was from putting energy and emotion into my words. She saw this and a look of amazement consumed her features.

"So you feel something for me?" She asked the question even though she knew the answer, wanting to hear the answer in the present not from my memories; I nodded slowly.

"My feelings for you are deep, more than the depths of the ocean and more so than what I felt for Mirala." I confessed, closing my eyes, preparing my body for words that stung my heart, but instead I felt her lips kiss my forehead, and I heard her small bubbly giggle.

"I knew I felt something between us." I heard her say. "And I knew you felt it too." With my eyes still closed, I felt her grip each side of my face and heard her voice coo. "Look at me, Lizz." She gently commanded and I opened my eyes to see that hers were pitch black from our small Joining, but her eyes were like this out of arousal not because our minds were joined; she smiled at me.

"I didn't know human eyes turned black when desiring another as well." She practically purred, and I vaguely remembered what my adopted mother told me about Pureblood Asari and her Guardian after a meld, but could not fully grasp what it was.

"The pupils dilate with humans. When they fee; arousal." I managed to tell her. "Mine more so since I am half Asari."

"I can see that." Liara said, squeezing my hand. "Is that why you have spoken in rhyme when we were fighting?" She asked suddenly. "Because I was in danger and you were fighting the Guardian inside?" She asked me the question and the memory of my failure filled my mind; I nodded curtly.

"I…well I am no poet, Liara. I only know of poems that rhyme, nothing else." Liara started to chuckle, then pearled in light, melodic laughter, and I felt myself blush. She stopped laughing enough to speak to me.

"Well, my biotic warrior, here's another way to create poetry." She started casually, leaning closer to me, before whispering in my ear the most beautiful improvised poem I heard. "Lips for capturing. Body of my desire. I knew since I fell." She whispered each syllable slowly, mesmerizingly beautiful, and clearly so I got the catch 5-7-5.

"Hard to think when Joined. Hard to breathe after the Join. Hard to control now." I responded to her poetry.

"Let go to me, please. I beg to know your being. Please open to me." She spoke while smiling and I soon found myself smiling too in this poetry conversation. Although I was in full control over the beast of my heart, a new beast was consuming my body.

"Have you loved before? Have you felt the touch of lust? Or am I your first?"

"No Mind has Joined mine. Intimacy is foreign. You make it natural." I smiled when I caught her mistake in her art that she was teaching me.

"That's six syllables, Little Bird." I spoke lovingly, lightly poking her nose as the petname rolled off my tongue. She gave the cutest smile I've ever seen on an Asari as a blush crept on her cheeks.

"You still understand what I want." She spoke in a tone that was foreign to her, but still gave me goosebumps as she caressed my arm. "You." She leaned in closer to me, our lips almost touching, until the hiss of the door opening brought the romance to a halt as Liara sat back down in her seat next to my bed.

"I don't care if Liara's in there, Shepard is still my Commander!" I heard the voice of an overly pissed off Ashley barked out to who I believe was Dr. Chakwas. "Hey, Liara." She said casually to Liara and then saw me. "Shepard! Hey-a Skipper, are you alright?" The tomboy Soldier asked approaching, I went to open my mouth, but it was Liara who spoke out, her eyes now clear of black lust.

"She is fine now, Ashley, she has regained consciousness from her dilemma, and has no amnesia. You can speak to her now if you wish." She spoke calmly to Ashley as she left my bedside, her seat was soon filled in by Ashley before I could get a word in.

_Damn she worked fast. _I thought before smiling. _But she's mine now._ I would've drifted into thoughts no good Spectre off saving the galaxy should have if Ashley didn't speak up.

"Hey, Skipper." She started off as she also watched Liara leave through the door leading into her soundproof room, and, once the doors hissed shut, Ashley changed the topic of what the conversation could've been. "'Bout damn time, Skipper, thought it'd take you the whole damned 'save the galaxy with a smile' mission to get things between you and the good Doctor heated up. Would've cost me 10000 credits too, Wrex SO owes me!" I gave Ashley one of my 'not amused' glares.

_How the hell did Ash _and _Wrex know?_ I thought to myself. _Play it cool, play it cool, she's most likely bluffing._

"What are you going on about this time, Ash?" feigning ignorance, not knowing my body was betraying me.

"Don't play stupid, Skipper, that costume doesn't suit you. Your eyes are dilated first off, and that weird shit started happening after you had us rescue Liara." Ashley put bluntly, smiling at her victory and couldn't help but smile at a small victory I had with her.

"So you're on a first name basis with her and 'the big stupid Krogan' now?" I smiled, quoting her from when we first started talking about her…not really phobia…more like ignorance mixed with intolerance towards aliens.

"Actually, yes Skipper, turns out Wrex is fun to chat with about armor and guns, and well…Liara's not half bad to talk to either."

"Is that because you both know how to hold a gun or your shared love of poetry?" I smirked at her as the look of triumph and victory turned to a rather evil glare. "It's fine, Ash, really. Remember? I promised I wouldn't tell anyone the big bad gun slinger Ashley Williams has a soul as long as you don't threaten to send mine to the afterlife." I teased her before asking one of the few serious questions I'd ever ask her in my life. "So, uh, Ash? You don't just happen to know anything about creating poetry on the spot, do you?" The Gunnery Chief smiled and I got the feeling that I would need to do something I wouldn't normally do to get her to teach me. I was right. And unlike most deals I make, it was one I would soon regret.

_****_

"So, let me put this wild story straight, Shepard." The Turian Councilor who was never too fond of me spoke through the comm. "You let an Asari, who worked directly with Benezia _and indirectly _with Saren who had all the information we could ever have to locate him go? Just like that?"

"Yes, Councilor." I said this for the thousandth time, massaging the bridge of my nose. _How I hate politics._ "I received the Cypher from her and any information she could give, and she said she was forced against her will to serve Saren." I spoke boldly. "Shiala is innocent!"

"That is not for you to decide!" The Councilor growled.

"Although I don't side much with the Councilor." The Salarian Councilor began. "I do agree you should've brought her to us. You are aware that these 'Reapers' are more of a fairy tale and these 'visions' could be a result of hysteria." The Salarian made me snap.

"What? I-."

"Although bringing Shiala would've helped us to believe her reports of Saren working with these reapers a little more, how was she to bring Shiala to the Council for trial?" The Asari Councilor spoke up and I was glad; if not for her I would have no qualms killing the Council myself. "Bringing Shiala in would side track her from finding and bringing Saren to justice! Whether you like it or not, Shepard is our only hope in finding him!" She looked around at the other Councilors who bowed their heads. "On that note, Shepard, we believe that Saren is working on a secret project in the hot labs of Noveria. The coordinates will be saved on your map." I nodded at her instructions and went to turn the comm off before she spoke up again. "But Shepard, be careful, we don't know for sure if Saren is there, but we do know that Matriarch Benezia is on that planet, and most likely secretly working inside the hot labs." To this information I nodded grimly knowing why she gave me this information. "You know what must be done, Shepard, we will leave you to take action. Good luck." The council members disappeared from the comm unit. I massaged my temples until my headache disappeared and I looked around taking note that I was alone, or so I thought.

"Skipper! Hi! How was the meeting with the Council? I was wondering around when I saw that-."

"Ash, shut up, I know why you're here." I growled only partially serious. "You know I'm no space mouse! I didn't forget our deal!" Ashley smirked at my reaction, proud to get under my skin for once in her whole time of knowing me.

"Remember, once you recite some of this old, classic, prehistoric improvise way of talking trash and reciting poetry at the same time, I'll teach you how to really create poetry to say to that blue Asari lover of yours."

"I'm not doing that last part." I mumbled.

"Oh, What? I thought you needed to control yourself from frying me and everyone else." She chuckled. "And I thought you weren't a space mouse."

"I don't need to learn this way, Ash! I'm not even sure if this technique is real poetry anyway."

"Come on, give it a shot, it's only the first lesson, and if it doesn't work you can say 'you're a loser, Ash and don't know shit about poetry.' Deal?" I sighed before activating the ship's comm system.

"This is Commander Shepard speaking, all crew meet me on the crew deck, in the lounge." Ash practically bounced up and down, clapping her hands like a little girl on Christmas morning. I glared at her the whole walk to the elevator. "I hate you." I mumbled as we stepped into the elevator.

"I know you do, Skipper." She said grinning ear to ear. "But you'll be glad I gave you your first lesson."

"And what might that be, Master?" I asked pushing the button of the elevator as Ashley cleared her voice to sound like those 20th century Asian men from those ancient vids.

"Lesson 1: Rap." She said as the doors closed, sealing my fate.

_**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**_

When we reached the longue where everyone was gathered, Ashley shoved me in the center of the circle they had formed.

"Everyone, we are testing a technique to help Shepard when she goes into a biotic psychopath." Ashley started her speech and I already felt this was a terrible idea. "It will help out a lot if you all went along with it." She ended her small speech and turned to me. "Shepard, tell them who you are." I glared at her, wanting to use a biotic push to send her flying, but knew better than to try that or walk away. I cleared my throat and went along with the into Ashley previously had me memorize before coming down here.

"Crew as you know my rhymes are crap,

So Ash came with an idea that shut my yap.

I'm your Commander known as Shepard and I've been caught in the Chief's trap.

This is your Commander coming at ya with an old human tradition known as rap."

"First victim for you right here, Skipper!" Ashley proclaimed while stretching her arms out as wide as she could. "Show me what you got!" She said and I smirked, glad I'll be able to put her in her place.

"Ashley Williams is her name, although we call her Ash,

She thinks she's all that talking a lot of trash.

Works for me, shooting shit, although it's the aliens she fears,

Get over yourself, Ash you ain't that hot and the Asari ain't queers!" Ash looked surprised at the words I told to her, then smiled and nodded out of respect and shoved Wrex in front of me. I smiled; I'd always wanted to bash Wrex.

"Wrex, Wrex, the Krogan Wrex,

Thinks he's so hot but I have yet to hear him have sex.

I've found this though; when they don't fuck they fight,

Better watch out, because even the geth hide in fright."

I wanted to bash Wrex, but I knew if I brought him down too low, I would be dead, so I brought him up at the last bit. Ashley shook her head when she noticed this and shoved Kaiden in my line of sight; I knew I was going to destroy him.

"Kaiden Alenko, the only other human biotic,

Thinks he's the shit and that I'm a psychotic.

You just jealous boy, I can feel it son,

You screw with me and you die, but go nowhere cuz I ain't done."

I felt him pale at my words, but I kept going as I felt the beast not control my mind but join it.

"You're ego and bitch fits so big, but your dick is small,

My finger are bigger; the bigger to please the ladies and please them all.

Bitch boy you want to mess with me?

How 'bout you fuck four ladies and an Asari, maybe then we'll see."

Wrex burst out laughing as Alenko turned three shades of red, Ash looked delightfully pleased with herself as to the results of the rap spree, a 'mission accomplished' written across her face. Liara looked pleased with my words as well; she practically lit up when I mentioned pleasing all women; I winked to her when no one but her would notice. Her face turned purple in a wild blush, and then Ashley ordered everybody out; Alenko couldn't run fast enough for the door and Wrex let out another thunderous laugh.

"I should use and master this technique! These words are humiliating and fighting words, but yet sophisticated enough to attract a female! Why is this not used anymore by humans?" He rambled on as Tali, Garrus and Liara also left the room; I went to chase after my lovely Asari, but Ashley grabbed my shoulder.

"I won't take up a lot of your time, I just want to say you were good." Ashley began before having her evil smirk. "For a first timer." She added. "Wrex's slam was…interesting." I blushed at the word interesting.

"I didn't know what to say about him so to stall to get more time I said his name over and over."

"It was great, Skipper." She slapped my back and left, calling over her shoulder. "Lesson 2 will be a bit more fun though." I shook my head as she left, and I soon walked out the door after I had a few drinks from the bar, as soon as I walked out I felt a nearby presence and felt a hand grip my wrist. I smiled as I remembered the feeling of the touch and realized who it was.

"How'd I know you'd be waiting for me?" I purred as I turned to the rather flustered Asari who stared at me with eyes on the verge of turning black and a rather shaky breathing pattern.

"You were fantastic, Shepard." She spoke, referring to my rap. "You were…I could see a highlight of the beast when you were speaking to Alenko." I felt myself grow to a level of worry.

"But I thought it was supposed to help-."

"It was, you were just protecting your territory." She purred, wrapping her arm around my waist. "You were trying to tell him I'm yours, and that is one thing you and the Guardian agree on, so she Joined your mind you give you courage to tell him to back off and humiliate him." As she said this I felt a truth to her words. I felt the Guardian Join not control me; I smirked playfully and I grabbed her wonderfully shaped hips.

"I'm glad it will join me to protect what's mine." I growled, winking to her.

"It was also because you were referencing sex." Liara swallowed loudly and I noticed her eyes were turning black. "I could feel your…desire emitting from the beast. Also the more aroused the Guardian is, the more the beast will join your being to help you get what you want..." She explained as her eyes went solid black. I felt myself move closer to her until our breath was mingling; her lips partially parted to form words and I was distracting her! Finally she formed words. "…and the more your beast emits your arousal…the more effect it has on the Protected." I felt her breath becoming more frantic and shaky, like how a virgin is before her first kiss with someone she craves; I growled at the thought and felt the beast help muster up the courage for me to speak.

"Come here." I cooed softly, slowly pulling the Asari to me. I felt her soft, plush lips touch mine, and I kissed her. I was kissing my Protected, holding her close and feeling her arms wrap around my neck as I wrapped my arms around her waist. She shook and trembled from nervousness and pleasure as our tongues joined and melded, not battle, from our heat. We parted from the lack of air, and I gently caressed her sides, and a sudden question formed in my mind, panting and out of breath I tried to form the question. "Liara I…If you want…I mean how…how slow do you want me to-?"

"If you were anyone else I'd beg for you to wait…but I…I want…I don't know how to explain-."

"How about this?" I purred, reaching for her cheek, pinning her against the wall with a growl while approaching her lips.

"Commander Shepard, we are about to approach-."

"Got yah, Joker!" I called out to the pilot who had the worst timing. When I felt we were again I turned my attention to Liara. "To be continued, Little Bird." I cooed gently before kissing her nose. "Let's go see if we can find Saren."

_****_

**Another lovely chapter complete. Hope you enjoyed it. If ever you want to challenge my skills feel free anything you want ANYTHING! As long as it's fem slash ^.^ anywho, see you next chapter.**

**-Runecat311**


	5. Chapter 5

_**Chapter 5: Wounds and Healing**_

I paced outside the door of the Med Bay, but this time a crew member wasn't hurt, she was mourning. Mourning the loss of her mother; the one I killed to save the galaxy as 'all part of the job'. It turns out we didn't find Saren there, but creatures, tormented creatures forced to serve those who disturb their way of communicating known as the Rachni. They reminded me of little bunny bug things with little bunny ears and everything related to rabbits. They were kind of cute when they weren't trying to kill me; in the labs I found their leader held captive in a case like a trophy and released her from her containment, but we found someone else there too…someone we didn't expect to find.

"Shepard?"

"Dr. Chakwas!" I felt my voice reach an octave higher than it should have. "Is she-?"

"Lizz, she needs you, there's nothing I can do for her."

"I…understand." Yes, on that frozen planet, we found my beloved's mother, and I killed her to save the galaxy. Ever since then, I regretted the petname 'Little Bird' for it is close to her mother's name for her 'Little Wing'. I didn't talk to her on our way back to the ship, and I should have. I should've been there for her when she needed me but I wasn't, and since she locked herself away from everyone in her room, my heart felt like it broke, and the Guardian inside me howls in pain. She is weeping.

"Shepard, I know she is your lover now, but-."

"She's not my lover." I barked out. "Not yet anyway…" I added feeling the tension. "And maybe never."

"Why do you think that?" Asked the good Doctor.

"Because." I said flatly, there was no way I was going to tell _her _my guilt, but my dear friend Chakwas persisted.

"Because why?" She approached me closer and touched my arm. "Does it have to do with the fight against her mother?"

"No!" I shrugged her off. "I mean yes! I mean…" What did I mean? "…It wasn't Ashley who pulled the trigger. Not Tali, Garrus, Wrex or Liara! It was me! Benezia's dead and it's all my fault!" I felt the tears creep to my eyes. "Would you love me if I killed your mother in front of your eyes?" I asked her while losing control of my emotions. I allowed myself to succumb to the grief I had built up for killing my beloved's mother. "How could anyone love a monster like-?" I was interrupted from my ranting by a hard slap across my face; I turned shocked to see determination burning in the doctor's eyes.

"Shepard, I don't know what happened back there, but I do know what happens on this ship!" The Doctor stated with a fiery tone that had me shaking in my galactic boots. "I knew about you and Liara before you got the balls to make it official, I knew of your DNA pattern, and I know Liara would do to you what you are willing to do for her! Now she needs you more than any crew member ever did! She loves you and she wants to know that you will be there for her when she falls! We've worked together for far longer than you ever became Spectre or the Commander Shepard I know today! The Lizz Shepard I know isn't a runner or a coward! The Lizz Shepard I know is a Spectre willing to save the galaxy and everyone in it with her life, and most importantly Guardian to Liara T'Soni! That's who you are to _all of us_, _Shepard_! You are everyone's guardian, Shepard; you take your pistol, your biotics and whatever grenades you have left and face a horde of hellspawn if you had to if it meant making sure even one person was safe! "

"But I don't even know what I am, Doctor! I could be genetically structured to kill everyone years from now! Like how I killed her mother! " I felt the words tumble out without a thought, panting from the emotional explosion and holding back the beast that was threatening to take control and send me shooting for Liara's room, but it was Dr. Chakwas' hand over my heart that stopped me in my spot; her eyes blazed through to my core as she spoke to me.

"It is in here, Shepard that defines who we are, not our lineage or how we came to be. It is who we love and what we stand for, and what our long, driving desire is in here that tells me who you are, Shepard." Her words seeped into my soul, fueling my veins with the courage I needed; Chakwas saw this and smiled at the results. "Go to her, Shepard." I nodded once at her words and started walking past her with grins on both of our faces.

"I will, Doctor." I said as our eyes locked for a brief moment. "Thank you, Doctor." She nodded briefly; a coy smile on her features.

"Anything for the savior of the world as we know it." I smiled a small smile as I dashed past her and headed for the door that I tried to ignore earlier in the Med Bay; the door to my Lover's room opened and the sight I beheld almost had me lose my reserve completely. Liara sat at her desk, tears flooding her eyes staring at a picture I didn't have to look at to know it was Benezia; I quietly I approached the empty spot next to her and still she did not look up.

_Goddess, please forgive me for hurting the most beautiful creature of your creation. _I prayed silently before deciding to speak to my beloved.

"Liara?" I finally found my voice; the mere sound of it brought the most beautiful woman in the whole galaxy out of the mindless staring at the picture. The sight of her bloodshot eyes piercing into my soul weakened me; there was a minutes' pause heavy in the air, and I was expecting her to order me from her sight and never see her again. Instead the weeping woman flung herself at me, burying her face in my shoulder; I stood shocked for moments before snapping myself out of it and gingerly wrap my arms around her and rub her back.

"Thank the Goddess." She sniffled, her voice hoarse and raw from crying. "I thought you'd never come for me." Her statement brought a whole new wave of tears as her lips pouted and the salty stinging droplets rolled off of the bright baby blue eyes on the woman I loved. "Please…promise me you won't disappear too." Her desperation in her voice pierced my heart and I remembered the night I said this to an Asari I loved, and I remembered the answer she gave, and I knew I wasn't going to say the same words. Those words died with her, and I came up with new ones; only these words are what my heart and not my mind had to say.

"I promise, Liara, even if Death holds my body I will fight to keep my heart beating again. I will fight the Goddess herself if it means I will never disappear from your world, as long as you don't disappear from mine." I held her close as my words from the heart poured into her ears and beat into her body. "And I promise I will never ever change." I heard her sniff in attempts to keep quiet; I pulled her away from my embrace to gently cup her face. "I'm so sorry I killed your Mother." I felt tears spring hot liquid in my eyes before I felt Liara brush them away.

"Oh, Lizz." She saw the hurt and grief in my eyes and touched the hand that calmed her and held her to me. "It wasn't your fault, Lizz. Please don't blame yourself; it is Saren who is blameworthy not you. Never you. " She kissed my palm and caught me gazing down at her.

"I love you." I said simply, as relief flooded me.

"I love you too, Lizz." Liara spoke with her deep beautiful eyes bore into my soul as she spoke. "And I always will love you, but the same will not be said for Saren." I smiled, feeling her fire again.

"I promise if I cannot convince him to surrender you can take the killshot." We shared a laugh before I felt words form in my mind and stumble out of my lips. "Would you…would you want to sleep with me?" I felt myself flush at the unintended sexual innuendo. "I-I didn't mean it like that! I just meant-."

"Relax, Commander." Liara smirked placing a finger that I wished was her lips on my own pink lips. "I understand; I love being held by you, and I would wish nothing more than to sleep in your arms. They make me feel so safe when they hold me." My blue temptress wrapped her arms around me and nuzzled my neck as my own arms tightened around her waist.

"I love holding you, Liara." I purred into my lover's ear, my breath against her neck made her tremble. "I promise I'll protect you from every storm that rages and threatens to consume you." I felt her smile against my neck at my words.

"You have evolved into quite the beautiful poet, Lizz." I rubbed her back, feeling the weight in her heart fade away into nothing but love.

"I do have the best muse." I breathed huskily into her ear, pulling her as close as she can get to my body while rubbing her back. I felt her body temperature escalate whenever my hand dropped lower and lower until it reached its peak when I grabbed her ass. I felt a growl escape my lips, one I couldn't control; Liara lifted her head and smirked before caressing the biotic energy cat ears at the top of my head; I scolded myself. "Damnit! I thought I could control this!" She giggled as the ears bended and formed to her will.

"I actually find them adorable." She said, smiling as the biotic energy spawned cat whiskers from her arousing touch. "Remember what I said about the Guardian and the beast's desire?" I blushed, remembering pinning her to a wall and how desperate I was to do it again and this time claim her as mine.

"Yeah." I finally managed. "I remembered you saying something about it." Liara lightly caressed the side of my face to make me look at her in the eyes; through those piercing eyes was the heart and soul of the woman I love; the woman that was mine. I understood her intent from just gazing into them and fidgeted slightly. "I want your first time to be special, Liara. On your own terms, not out of sorrow or to feel something that desperation makes you feel. I want to give you something I never had, Liara. I had sex, but I never made love, because I didn't find someone that loved me as much as I loved them, until I met you. I love you Liara. I really, really love you." Liara's eyes sparkled at my proclamation, and if I could go back in time it would be to that moment to see the look in her face and eyes when I told her for the first time how much I loved her. I stared from her wondrous eyes to her plump purple lips that trembled as she tried to think of words to speak.

"I love you too, Lizz." Liara said at last, giving me the most adorable look ever. "Will…will you kiss me? Like how you did before we landed? "

"Is that what you want?" I spoke to her, caressing her sides, already knowing the answer as she trembled, practically moaning the words.

"Yes, Lizz. Please." She trembled as my breath tickled her neck. "I'm begging you."

"Your wish is my command." I spoke before claiming what was mine; her moans were as amazing as her lips. Her mouth was warm, a mouth that parted and begged without me even asking for entry; her tongue was so smooth and her mouth and taste was so intoxicating I was drawn to her every curve and sound. She moaned and gasped, turning my mind into the mind of the sexual beast that wanted to claim her as _mine. _I began to pull away, not wanting to push her, but her small, delicate, blue, skillful hands pulled me back.

"Lizz, I want this. I want you. Please." Her eyes bore into my soul and I could not resist her any longer. Suddenly, the sound of the doors opened and we couldn't pull away fast enough; it was Doctor Chakwas.

"Am I intruding, Commander?" Spoke the cocky older woman. "That can get you in trouble with-."

"The Military can blow themselves and whoever made that rule is a complete virgin like Kaiden." I murmured to Liara and myself. "Who needs me and why?" I spoke out loud to the Doctor.

"Garrus said he needed to tell you something important, something you might be interested in." She spoke as if she knew what he had to say to me; it sounded serious.

"Right, let him know I'll be on my way down." I looked down at my lover girl who couldn't stop smiling. "So, where were we?" I purred leaning down to kiss the temptation of my soul and mind.

"Right….here." And out of nowhere my gun was spawned from her hands and was placed in mine. "To be continued, my kitten."

_Tease! _My mind exclaimed as I felt her hand slowly trail down my chest.

"Go take care of Garrus, Lizz, and we can continue this sooner." She murmured slightly seriously. "I will not stand or be a distraction between you and your duties as a Spectre."

"Yes Ma'am." I breathed out as she helped me on unsteady legs and out the door. "Someone better be dying." I mumbled as I headed to the elevator.

_**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**_

Ok, so no one was actually dying, but Garrus did intrigue me with his information on a genetic scientist whose coordinates we were approaching at the current moment with me, Garrus and Liara on a small scouting ship towards the monstrous, broken down, sorry excuse for a space ship. Garrus looked at both of us as he gave orders how to handle the mad scientist.

"Ok, here's the synopsis. He knows he's trapped so I have no idea of his mental stability or what he plans on doing, only thing I do know is he's alive and I need to bring him in or take him down trying!"

"Wait, Garrus you didn't tell me much on this guy who is he and why do you need me along?" I asked for although Garrus' information intrigued me, I had no idea who I was after except for the lizard man Salarian that's gone insane.

"He went by a lot of names, Lizz. What he did wasn't right. He-." A faint rumbling sound shook our small ship and Garrus stood up to operate controls. "No time, Shepard. We are here." He said as the doors opened to a ship that looked like it came out of a horrific sci-fi movie from the early 2000s. Electrical wires that sparked up and swung around barely lit up the place and me and my crew lit up our gun lights as we started to roam inside.

"Stay close!" I barked out more to Liara than both my squad mates. I couldn't help it; I knew I haven't been on here before, but the ship felt so familiar. I continued on down a hallway and my light pointed to a small counsel; I pressed a green button, thinking it'll work the lights, but instead the tank that I mistook for a wall lit up and displayed a grotesque display of anatomy of all races. I backed away with a yelp and fell backwards and a hologram came to life of a young Asari, around 150 at least, with dark purple skin, slim figure, alluring features, in a black jump suit and pale blue eyes staring through me as she read out loud.

"In the case of event that something went horribly wrong, I Samaka Deatori am recording the creation of experiment 2217."

"What the-?" I only had time to say before my crew surrounded me in awe and the hologram began to speak.

"Day 1: I knew acquiring a donor for this experiment would be…not so easy to obtain, so I took it upon myself to donate my reproductive eggs to create this perfect being since I have no intention of creating my own with a Bondmate. I-…" The hologram spazzed a little and belted out words that made no sense, when she started to form again Liara spoke up.

"Wait, Samaka? My mothers' assistant? My babysitter Sammi? By the Goddess it is her!"

"Wait who-?"

"Sh, it's starting up again." Garrus cut her off as the voice started to play again.

"Day 399: She's growing in that tank…funny when the Doctor told me what to mix for her DNA I wasn't expecting her to be…well looking the way she turned out. And I wasn't expecting to get so attached, but I am. I see me in her; I see she has my nose, my face structure…hell she even has my eyes." Tears welled up in the Asari's eyes. "I guess Benezia was right after all…when something is yours you can't help but feel protective of it…or get attached. It's rather funny watching my young one grow in that tank…it reminds me of when I watched little Liara…except this feeling is much stronger because I know she is _mine._ If I ever get her out of here, for I know I will _not _hand her over to Cerberus, I will name her…something bold…different. Anara maybe. No wait…wait." The Asari looked at the data pad she was holding and smiled. "I must go, and if I ever show you this my young one, your name will be the reversal of your numbers. Goodbye for now, my dear Lizz." Garrus and Liara gasped in shock as tears started forming in my eyes from the same emotion.

"She…that's my mother…" I managed to say. "She…She…-."

"Died like the traitorous bitch like she was." I heard a dry, raspy voice that I never heard before, but yet sounded so familiar and turned to see an older, weathered, and ragged Salarian whose skin reminded me of a brown Iguana before they went extinct and eyes that had a bit of delirium and blindness to them wearing a torn and soiled lab outfit with a gun that has seen its better days, but still rather deadly. His villainous smile stretched revealing a set of sharp and missing teeth as his voice droned. "Welcome back home Experiment 2217." Said the insane Doctor.

"This is not my home!" I growled as he laughed.

"I see the animal DNA shows when you behave more primitively; I wonder when else does the wild side of yours show?"

"Leave Commander Shepard out of this!" Liara responded in her own aggressive way that I never seen and that I found rather sexy.

"Oh, now what is this? So your powers and animalistic side evolved into part of the Asari culture! And you're only how old? 21? 28? Impressive indeed. And you also found a mate to counter the loophole of your sterile state? Hmm, maybe I was wrong to try to kill you and actually killing your mother."

"Fuck you!" I roared, feeling my pulse quicken and my rage building as my vision was clouded in a blue blur. "I'm going to _kill you!_" I almost pulled the trigger until he tore off his cloak to reveal a trigger attached to a bomb on his chest.

"Now see, I wouldn't do that, 2217." Said the Salarian while licking his lips at my demise, watching me like how a hawk watches his target squirm. "How quick are your reflexes, hmm? Fast enough to kill me before I pull this touch sensitive trigger and we all go down? I didn't think so." He was full aware that he was in power and he knew it as he approached me and my crew. "Now, I'm going to make a deal with you, 'Lizz '. Let me go and I'll give you all these recordings that your mother left for you including the password."

"And if I refuse? " I barely spoke through my anger

"Then I pull this trigger and we all die." I was stuck; I had to think fast, but before I could even do anything Liara used a statis field around him and he froze immediately.

"Lizz, get ready!" Garrus ordered. "When Liara lets go you take the shot!"

"Right!" I barked preparing my pistol right at his skull.

_I didn't know Liara could do t_hat! I thought to myself.

"Neither did I." Liara said in response to my thoughts which had me almost drop my gun until Liara's strained voice broke through my thoughts. "And I don't know how much longer I can hold this!"

"Right!" I managed to say getting my gun ready, shaking it off, wondering if maybe I did say it out loud. "Alright, let him go!" I ordered and Liara relaxed with a labored sigh and the energy around the Doctor cleared and I shot him. In the head. In the heart. In the chest. The head. The head. The damned head!

"Lizz." Liara's voice broke through to me as soon as her hand touched my shoulder. "He's gone and he won't hurt you again." I didn't realize until then that I was trembling; I shook it off and touched my helmet to activate the mic. "Joker, this is Separd…We need a pick up."

_**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**_

"Ash I said it before I'll say it again, I'm fine!" I warded off the gun Chief. "Please…leave me in my cabin." I didn't wait for a reply before I slammed the doors shut; when I was sealed is when I broke down. Grief washed over my heart as I made my way to the bed. I wept as I clenched the data pad in my hands. _Her data pad_! My mothers. And I didn't know how to open it.

"All this and…and…" I howled in pain as every number combination I tried did not open it! "I'm such a fool! An idiot! A coward! And a fool!" I let out a scream that even startled me; it shook my body and made my voice hoarse. I tossed the data pad aside and curled up in a tight ball, not even hearing my door open until I felt gentle arms wrap around my body and a warm breath tickle my neck and ear.

"Sh, Lizz, it's alright." Liara murmured. "Come here, face me." She purred and I couldn't help but obey as I turned and was held by her and placed in the crook of her neck. "I know how bad it hurts losing your mother or not even having anything to remember her by, but Lizz you are a smart, brave, beautiful and talented woman do not feel less of yourself for not gaining much of anything about your mother. I can say when she says she loves someone she means it." Liara's words and touch soothed my mind like nothing else; I sniffed before speaking.

"I just wish I knew the code." I spoke like a little child but I didn't care at that moment as Liara stoked my back with gentle and even strokes.

"I know, Lizz I know. And one day _Together_ we will find it. I promise." Her last two words pierced through to my soul and knew she was speaking the truth. "Now come here and look at me." She spoke in an entirely different tone that I didn't even hesitate to obey and gazed into hypnotizing eyes; I was spellbound and locked as she moved closer, her lips getting closer to mine. "Always the hero, but sometimes you need saving too. Let me be your hero and reward you for all you have done for me and everyone else." And she claimed my lips, and by the Goddess I didn't know she was _t_h_is _hungry especially since she was a virgin. I was about to say something but her passion, love, devotion and desire overwhelmed all my senses and I melted before her power as she laid me on my back, straddling my waist. Our lips kept uniting, separating and melding until her tongue slipped through my lips and caressed my tongue and before I could flip us over and claim her as my own she pulled back, and sat on my now throbbing hot core

_Tease! _I thought to myself as my Asari purred with pleasure.

"Goodnight, Commander." She smiled before moving to leave, but despair and pain made me pull her back in my arms.

"Please don't leave me alone. Not tonight. Please." I almost felt like crying again until Liara slipped to my side and held me close with her chest pressed against my back.

"Sh, relax my warrior. I'm not leaving you." I smiled to myself as her soft lips pressed against the back of my neck. "Sweet dreams, my Guardian."

"Goodnight Liara. I…" I took a deep breath before letting it out. "…I love you I really really do love you."

"And I love you, Lizz." And I fell asleep in her arms for the first time feeling utterly and completely safe.

_**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**_

**Alri**gh**t **g**ettin**g **Somew**here. Ok story time! For the record my computer is busted so that means my

G

H

'/"

And (backspace) Keys are all broken meaning copy and paste is the only method I have for typin atm so any major grammer mistakes I don't normaly do is do to that also last week got into a car wreck totaled my car and then kinda lost my girl because of that so idk when Ill have these updated cuz looking for

New car and

New computer

(Which in my mind is first on the list) get my girl back T_T

So there we go as always leave comments cuz I love to hear from ya and I missed u guys see u whenever BYEEEEE


	6. Chapter 6

93526634663  
>"Lizz..." The voice haunted my dreams. "Lizz." I jerked my head in the direction of the voice in complete darkness. "Welcome home..." Flares of blue engulfed my vision before I jolted awake in a cold sweat. I looked down at my body in the blue light outside my window to observe that I wasn't surrounded in darkness, but surrounded by the familiar surroundings of my room on the ship; the sound of my deceased mother's voice was only part of the confusing dream.<br>"I'm sorry, did I wake you?" A small and familiar voice soothed my mind.  
>"...Liara." The name was always a bliss to say, just to utter it brought such promise and ease into my mind and healing to my heart.<br>"Lizz." She whispered gently as if afraid to shatter anything including the silence between us. "Do you want to talk about what plagued your mind while you slept?" I smiled gently at how much she just cared. This wasn't a one time thing at a club, nor a fantasy that's twisted and broken, this was reality and right now my reality was and always will be her gentleness towards a seasoned warrior like me. It was refreshing, people walk around in their lives that never once walked a damn day in my mixed shoes; trained lap dogs that tell me they understand and to get over it, but the asari truly understand a little of my troubles and pains, but this one was simply different. Liara not only acknowledges the solid fact that I can feel but also is willing to listen to my words and fully help me even if she simply wasn't there. Even when only my shadow was the only one that tread the same path I did she brought light and clarity to my darkness; it was then that I realized how lucky I was to have her in my life.  
>"...Yeah...if you don't mind listening to me."<br>"Oh, Shepard, listening to your tales bores me to tears at the mere mention that you require my listening ear." She jested momentarily before sitting next to me and gently guiding me in her arms. "Go on." I hadn't realized how much it perturbed me until I sat down to talk to her; I couldn't help the tears that pooled.  
>"I heard her voice, Liara." I kept staring at the wall. "It seems like it's the only time I can hear her is data pads or my dreams, but I can't get this thing open!" I exclaimed holding up the data pad I clutched so close to body at all my private hours.<br>"You know, sometimes the deceased give us hints in our dreams, and well, you are part asari..." I shook my head in frustration.  
>"All she said was 'welcome home' over and over."<br>"Do you think that maybe the key lies in her old home in Illium, home planet of the asari?"  
>"It wouldn't hurt to try...once all of this is over..."<br>"Lizz, about that-." Liara didn't finish before the comm came on.  
>"Shepard, we have made it to Illium on scheduled shore leave for the entire crew on this ship." Joker announced to my chambers. "So...when you two get done with what they do in the pornos you know...hint, hint take it off the ship." The comm was silent before I could open my mouth.<br>"So, Lizz before Joker jumps to any conclusions about what we do behind closed doors, I suggest we-." I broke off her words with a kiss for this being before me made it so I can hopefully unlock the secrets of my mother. We parted and I watched her eyes flutter open from just that kiss so brief. I always enjoyed the sight of her opening her eyes from a kiss; it was like watching a flower bloom or a butterfly flash its brilliant wings in front of you before taking off for all the world to see from a distance, it is for this reason I open my eyes first so I can always view this beautiful sight.  
>"How did you manage this, my dear one?" I asked caressing her arms as Liara blushed a vivid purple.<br>"Check your messages." I was confused by the answer she gave but reluctantly sauntered over to my terminal where my messages lie; in them was a direct message from the council addressed to me expressing that due to my 'conditions' and my 'recent discoveries' they wish to 'reward' my efforts by giving me and the whole crew much deserved shore leave which also applies to me and if our ship is to leave before the week is up I would be stripped of my Spectre status. Basically telling me in a nice way they think I'm crazy and need to be on shore leave on my home planet and since there's more asari in me than anything, why not Illium? My lips pursed together in confusion, normally these messages are encoded and never mind that what of my password that only I could know for my terminal '7437273' or 'Shepard' if you convert the numbers to letters using an older method not used anymore in this era except by the most brilliant minds. "Your terminal was left open last night, so I wanted to see what I could do for you since you are always working yourself tired, and the encoding for the council was easy enough to decipher not as hard as decoding Prothean data, but it was challenge enough mostly checking it in case they sent you harmful messages again, when I read that they are giving you shore leave I sent a message to Joker in your name so we could arrive when you awoke." I was shocked silent for a moment. This being so shy and quiet successfully broke into my messages and sent a message in my name, it was kind of hot.  
>"I know you really don't want to hear it, but you'd make a sexy information broker." Liara giggled and looked away in slight embarrassment.<br>"Guess I picked up a few things from my mother after all." she looked into my eyes looking maybe a little bit proud.  
>"I will admit this is almost entirely what would be a 20th century 'stalker' girlfriend, but I'm impressed." I said as I pulled her closer. "So I doubt you stopped at just the message and terminal, where are we headed to?" Liara turned in my grasp and smiled at me.<br>"Apartment 57B northern Quadrant."  
>Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx<br>We escaped my room together and left the ship; the sight I beheld was spectacular. Everything was bright and well designed, every building and every Asari passing by seemed natural like everything simply belonged there and in my heart I had a small feeling I did too.  
>"Amazing isn't it?" Liara asked as we viewed tall skyscraper like buildings bright and exotic and the passing air traffic; the moment was so captivating I could only nod my head in agreement. The sight of the city through glass was cut short by the face of a very serious looking indigo asari fully concentrated on her datapad.<br>"Identification, please." Liara smirked a little as she spoke a reply.  
>"Liara T'soni and Lizz Deatori." The inspection guard froze in mid type to look up from what she was doing to gawk in awe. I was taken aback by Liara by revealing my true birth name, which she quickly explained. "Don't fear using your real name here, all asari know who you are, we are all a family and will not betray you."<br>"Welcome back to Illium, Liara." The guard murmured in a short bow. "And Commander Deatori, welcome home, your mother would be proud."

"Thank you." I replied to the guard's heartfelt complement; this whole time I felt alone, but thanks to this creature known as Liara, I felt like I found a home.  
>"Can you direct us apartment 57B in the northern quadrant?" Liara asked the guard snapping me out of the moment I lost myself in. The guard snapped in attention at Liara's request; apparently with being the daughter of Benezia came incredible amounts of power, I just hope it doesn't go to her head one day.<br>"Of course." The guard turned on her comm. "I need an escort for the northern quadrant here." The comm switched off before the guard returned to her datapad. "Another officer will assist you in a moment." And like a flash the asari was gone as swiftly as she appeared; not even a second passed before a familiar looking asari appeared with crystal skin and red eyes.  
>"93526634663." She spoke in numbers that I quickly translated into words.<br>"842659683678439352663." I responded to her.  
>"Ah, so I see my mother wasn't the only one who studied this language of numbers.<br>"Actually, it was like I was born with it. My mother's natural ability with numbers passed onto me." I explained simply, not completely comfortable with revealing who my mother is quite yet even though I was pretty sure miss broker in training found a way to inform most the planet to welcome the first half asari that is of human form.  
>"Ah, and where is your mother now? Mine passed long before I reached the matron stage I believe 50 or so." I hesitated before speaking.<br>"I too lost my mother, but I didn't really know her."  
>"Ah, I grieve for your loss, not many asari die giving birth. It is a shame but may also be a blessing we are like sisters that both our mothers passed."<br>"What of your sire?"  
>"What of yours, 2217?" The asari winked before adding. "Maybe we are more than just sisters of grief, allow me to introduce myself as Dementia Deatori, one of the daughters of the departed Samaka Deatori." She met my eyes and bowed before reaching for my hand. "Come with me, my sister."<br>Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx  
>Needless to say Dementia now lives in the home of our mother, but she was not the only one as I came to find when we entered the large apartment.<br>"4264663." Dementia called out to an empty home.  
>"93526634663!" resounded the voices of many as another asari red in color with emerald green wings much like that of a dragon, a male Krogan, and a Quarian stepped forth from the bright apartment.<br>"Everyone, I want you to meet our sister, Lizz."  
>"2217!" The Krogan rushed in joy and embraced me in a bear hug. "I thought we wouldn't meet outside of tanks!" I was confused as to what this Krogan meant and more confused that I couldn't recall what he was talking about for I can recall everything while I was in the tank. "Oh, I'm sorry my name is Equaze as a reflection of fire and the noble horses now extinct for their symbolism of remembrance; as far as we know I am the eldest of us I was the project to remap Krogan hostility as experiment 378293 or Equaze if you translate it from the numbers."<br>"Wait so I wasn't the first experiment that she used her genetics for?"  
>"No, but you were the first she got attached to and that led to all of our release, you were the last one she was going to retrieve."<br>"What?"  
>"I believe you should show her, Equaze." The Quanari chimed in with a voice similar to that of an asari.<br>"I believe you are right, Ti'rah, she deserves to know." Equaze turned to face me. "Sister, please step forth." He closed his eyes and casually outstretched his hand; I approached with much caution. Suddenly, when I was close his eyes became black as his hand connected with my forehead. "Embrace eternity." From our link I saw his life in the tank as our mother treated him as a mere test subject, a change occurred to her gradually as she brought along the red asari as a small one.  
>"Now Set'rah, be careful, he maybe developed as a youngling, but he is far older than you."<br>"So he's like my older brother?" Our mother snickered and shook her head.  
>"No, young one, they merely share my genetics, like you it's simply an experiment."<br>"Oh..." The young asari shied away from the tank and retreated to her mother.  
>"Now come this way, 7728, we need to test to see if the dragon genetics gave you more than flight and hope you have received its fire breath."<br>That scene skipped ahead, our mother was a bit fidgety at this time, she looked just how she was in one of the data pad entry...when I became aware of her voice. This time Dementia and Set'rah were present. Except our mother was looking over a data pad and the two younger ones were up against the glass.  
>"Samaka?"<br>"Yes, Set'rah?"  
>"If we all share your genetics, doesn't that make us at least partly your children?" Our mother paused before resuming to her data pad.<br>"I...I suppose..." She immediately shut off the pad and ushered the two asari away. "Let's get you two twins into your room, shall we?"  
>It skipped forward again, except it wasn't so bright, in fact it was very dark and they were all following our mother.<br>"Samaka-!"  
>"I told you, sweet ones, call me mama."<br>"Mama, where are we going?"  
>"To see your last sister, Ti'rah." the asari explained as she skid to a halt. "Here." She flipped the switches and there I was in a tank, but I had yet to open my eyes I was still in the early stages. "Her number is 2217, her name will be Lizz, and if anything were to happen to me, I ask that you all wait for her in our home. Once I rescue her when the time comes, our family will be whole." The memories faded and I returned to my body again; tears were brimming in my eyes.<br>"I...I came here to find an answer, but I found something more...I have found my siblings..." I embraced them all as they embraced me, when we released, Equaze giggled a little.  
>"I must correct you we aren't all just siblings, but we are all sisters."<br>"Wait...what?"  
>"In the project I was apart of they wanted Krogan to be more peaceful, they couldn't quiet the male's genetic ability to fight so they gave me a male form, but with an Asari mind, power, and reproductive trait."<br>"I think I understand...so you are male in body but in mind and genitalia..."  
>"Female, yes, or the Asari equivalent."<br>"I see." I turned to Dementia and Ti'rah. "I understand the projects of Set'rah and Equaze a little, but what projects were you two-."  
>"I was under the project to bolster the natural immune system of the Quarians, plus bolstering their power significantly, I can see the future of those I embrace eternity with."<br>"What of your immune system?"  
>"Oh, this suit is nothing but a guise, I wear this only until nightfall and only when I'm here I cannot risk exposure at this current time I foresaw in all instances that at this current time it would put our family in dire danger."<br>"Understandable." I nodded and turned toward my Crystal sister. In a swift motion her entire attire melted and she was only wearing a sleeveless vest that fit her form and cuts off above her stomach and what appeared to be a thong, except the string bit was attached to a mermaid like tail, her arms covered in fins and the blue patterns along her body were like that of a tiger shark.  
>"I was a project opposite of Set'rah; she has the dragon's natural capabilities and that of an asari, I am part siren and therefore have the ability to deceive I can give another being a whole different reality to indulge as time passes and rots their body."<br>"Don't worry she cannot induce blood relatives in that deep of a trance." Equaze tried to reassure me, but I was unconvinced and tried to perform what would be a mental ability to struggle against another mind, but I felt no other consciousness besides Liara.  
>Do not fret, I am real.<br>"I am...speechless I didn't imagine I could find you or if you even existed."  
>"We all thought you were dead." Set'rah explained, tears brimming in her eyes. "Shit I never cry." Equaze came over to the dragon like asari to comfort his sister in an embrace.<br>"Easy, Dragonheart, even dragons can be moved to tears when reunited with family." All this comfort, all this love made me so happy.  
>"I might've known you all existed if I could've figured the code of our mothers diary." Dementia snapped to attention.<br>"You have the diary?"  
>"Yes, Dr. Heart had it in his possession, the doctor that murdered our mother, I killed him after I found it; I would've been blown sky high if I didn't."<br>"What matters is you're safe, Lizz." Ti'rah spoke and all nodded in agreement.  
>"I just can't figure the code, I tried everything!" Dementia casually walked over and placed a hand on my shoulder and gently whispered.<br>"There's a phrase we spoke to each other when we saw one another. We used this code even still in her memory." That hint had my eyes wide at the realization.  
>Xxxxxxxxxxxxx<br>'Enter code'  
>These words used to perturb me and confuse my mind, but now I casually type in with Liara hanging over my shoulder.<br>'4262217'  
>I waited as the screen processed the code and suddenly it flashed green with 'Welcome, Lizz.' flashing. Tears brimmed to my eyes as days and days of information scrolled before me and I had no idea where to start, but I wanted to start small.<br>"Is there any diary entry regarding experiment 378293, 7728, 7729, and 4345." Altogether there were 50 files on them together on one entry, 20 on just Equaze, 10 on Ti'rah, 30 on Set'rah, and only one on just Dementia. This confused me entirely and focused on the one file named 'Pandora's Box' that was the only file on just Dementia alone, but was set a day before I was released, the day before she died. I braced myself for what I would find, but before I spoke Liara covered my mouth with her hand.  
>"Be cautious, Lizz, Pandora's Box can never be closed."<br>"I am aware, Liara, but I have to know."  
>"Just know I'm here for whatever is inside." I kissed her briefly before locking my eyes on the screen.<br>"Open file Pandora's Box."  
>Xxxxxxxxxxxxx<br>Hello fanfiction, missed me?


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7 Pandora's box**

I had a mission as a Spectre: save the galaxy. Now from my mother's data pad I had an added one: save my family. Dementia is a threat. She always was a threat, I had to find all of our siblings before she did. In total there were over a hundred of us. Now though there's only 17. 17 sisters that Dementia hasn't claimed, 17 sisters she didn't trick, 17 sisters that are alive and alone. My mother left me to save them. But I still don't know how to save the galaxy; for all the people out there I had to save I never felt more alone.  
>"Lizz?" And now that loneliness fades like the screen on the data pad I had been staring at.<br>"Liara." I breathed feeling a tug at the object in my hand and my beautiful scientist in a show of back lace. The bra itself was simple enough; black lacy straps, soft fabric for the cups and a silver heart in the center for the clasp. The thong she wore nearly killed me as it covered her elegant virgin hips in the same lace as the straps of the bra, a silver skull and crossbones on the front. "Liara...what're you-?"  
>"Take me." I gulped loudly, there's no way this is happening now.<br>"L-Liara. You can take your time, I don't want to force-." The collar of my shirt was yanked as the asari of my heart purred in my ear.  
>"I...want...<em>you<em>..." She spoke evenly and calmly. "I want _this_. Our union."  
>"Are you sure?" I spoke through the lump in my throat, hoping to hear the word Liara said would be her signal that she was ready.<br>"What kind of question is _that_?" She tilted her head to the side, stating at me with doe eyes. "I want you and you're asking if I'm sure?"  
>"You're not Liara." I growled darkly remembering the words Liara would've said if it was indeed her. "Who are you?" I demanded, pinning her to the far side of my cabin with my biotics. The asari giggled then all out laughed at my dispense as Liara melted into an all too familiar shape. "Dementia!"<br>"So this is what you dream about? Finally getting 'permission' to have your way with the virgin you sleep with? How have you not fucked her raw, 'Shepard'?"  
>"Do NOT mock me you piece of shit! It's thanks to you I now have the power to stop you!"<br>"Oh, you think because mommy's data pad is open you can help our sisters from escaping my wrath? Ha! I bet you won't even be able to save your precious krogan!"  
>"What're you-?"<br>"Commander Shepard!" In the depths of my dream I felt myself being shaken and snapped out of my dream to see the real Liara shaking me awake. I wondered for a moment what was going on until I remembered our landing on Virmire and the group of Salarians discussing Saren's plan of creating an army of Krogan by a twisted way of cutting the genetic disease that plagues them all. We were eating in preparation of the coming battle until just now when I was roused.  
>"Liara, what's wrong?" I asked my lover under the guise of being a crewmate in front of the public; I am used to publicity, but I want to keep Liara away from it as much as possible.<br>"It's Wrex he-!"  
>"Your krogan is throwing a fit!" The Salarian captain informed. "Either put him down like a rabid dog or fix it!" He departed from the small compartment he placed my crew in. I looked around to see that not only was Ashley up too, but had heard the whole thing.<br>"Ash, before you say it we are _not_ going to kill him!"  
>"Commander, after fighting alongside you and him I don't think I could." I smiled a bit, happy Ashley is finally loving her fellow alien, but there was a voice I did not need to hear.<br>"Are you serious? We are completely ruling that it as an option?"  
>"Alenko! Stand down!" I barked glaring at him, knowing full well my biotics were on fire. "You do NOT talk about a member of my crew as a dog destined to die! Wrex is as much a part of this mission as you are maybe even more so! I will handle this myself, Alenko. Is that clear?"<br>"But Commander-."  
>"Is...<em>that.<em>..._clear_?" I growled.  
>"Yes ma'am." The lieutenant trembled at my display of dominance. I rose from the bed with a small smile, for I wouldn't entirely be alone.<br>_'Be careful, Lizz.'__  
><em>_'Always, Angelface.'_ I thought to my lover. After Dr. Heart I have realized that as the bond between Guardian and Protected grows, so does the power between them. And when we are fully Bonded one could only imagine what we could do. 'All in good time, Deatori.' I scolded myself lightly, using my real last name. 'All in good time, for now focus on Wrex.' I didn't have to walk for very long before I heard said Krogan unloading a whole round into the water puddle he was standing in with a roar of anger.  
>"Wrex-."<br>"This isn't right, Shepard!" He snarled. "They are trying to find a cure and it's YOUR side that's going to stop it!"  
>"No, Wrex! This isn't the right way! They are trying to CONTROL you, Wrex! Can you not see that?"<br>"Easy for you to say, Shepard! It's not like YOU would know what we go through!"  
>"Oh yeah?" I snapped placing my full palm on his head before I realized what I was doing. "Embrace Eternity!" My memories flooded him; memories of screens and data pads and a conversation from Dr. Heart to my mother.<br>_"...the females are infertile; not good for Cerberus demands..." _  
>Just that one memory was too much to hold the bond between me and Wrex and I was brought back to my body; rather exhausted, but alright as I saw Wrex in a state I've never seen him in. He was crying; before I made a move he rushed to me and held me tight.<br>"I'm a fool, Shepard." He murmured. "You understand me more than anyone in this. I will fight for you." He grumbled in my ear and all was fine until I heard a gun load. I pulled myself free from Wrex and shot a stasis at the sound to see Alenko poised with his gun pointed at Wrex's back. I released him to knocked the gun from his hands.  
>"I said <em>alone<em>, lieutenant! You do _not_ disobey orders given by me!"  
>"I was only-!"<br>"You were doing nothing, lieutenant! Any word otherwise and I WILL strip you of your rank! Is that understood?"  
>"But-"<br>"Is...that...understood?" The man standing before me that always questioned my motives sighed heavily.  
>"Yes, Commander." Just then the Salarian captain showed up from what appeared to be nowhere, startling me.<br>"Now that you have finished the problems amongst yourselves, I need a moment with you, Commander." I sighed and mentally shook myself to prepare for the request the Salarian asked of me, never realizing or knowing what my actions would bring until the very end of this mission.  
><strong>XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX<strong>  
><em>Tears pooled in my eyes as we escalated higher and higher out of range from the bomb planted there and at first I thought it wouldn't detonate, but to my sick horror, it exploded, consuming the area around it.<em>_  
><em>_"Prove yourself to me, Alenko!" I growled. "Lead these troops to safety! Ash, you're with me!"__  
><em>_I clung onto my arm and turned away from the view, I had made sure everyone on the Blitz was saved, but I couldn't stop what happened.__  
><em>_"Commander, leave me with the bomb!" Ashley pleaded. "I'll be ok, just go get Alenko!"__  
><em>_"Ash, no! Dying won't bring your family name any honor, this is stupid!"__  
><em>_"It's not about me anymore, Shepard, it's for Kaidan. You have helped me open my eyes, Skipper, but Kaidan, he still needs you to help him."__  
><em>_"Ash, this is stupid! There's no WAY I'm leaving you behind!"__  
><em>_"Go, Deatori! Leave me and save Kaidan you have saved me."__  
><em>_A hand gripped mine and I smiled faintly at the familiar color and feel and squeezed back gently.__  
><em>_"Skipper, it's ok." I smiled faintly as I stared at the battered face of Ashley. "It's what he wanted."__  
><em>_Suddenly static and sound came on my end.__  
><em>_"Shepard, don't leave Ashley behind!" The voice of the man we were discussing of broke through to my mic.__  
><em>_"Kaidan, hold tight I'm coming!" __  
><em>_"No you're not, Shepard." His voice unusually calm given the situation. "Shepard, leave me here, I want you to. We butted heads, I barely agreed with you on anything, but I just never wanted to admit you were right. But I could never forgive you or look at you the same if you rescued me now. Get Ash, get the geth, and beat the shit out of Saren!"__  
><em>_"Are you sure, Kaidan?"__  
><em>_"Affirmative, ma'am. It'd be an honor dying for you." Ash and I shared a look as our fates were sealed.__  
><em>_"Kaidan."__  
><em>_"Yes, Shepard."__  
><em>_"Call me by my real name, soldier."__  
><em>_"Yes, Commander Deatori."__  
><em>_Soon I couldn't help it I was bawling and no sooner had I started I was enveloped by two of the dearest people I know as we made our way to deep space. _  
><strong>XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX<strong>  
>"You sure you'll be ok with her?" I overheard Ashley ask Liara in my cabin as I lay curled in my bed.<br>"I'm positive, Chief."  
>"Hey, it's ok to call me Ashley now you know?"<br>"Then Hell must've froze over." I heard a bit of amusement in the voice of my beloved.  
>"Yeah, sorry about that."<br>"In the past, Ashely." I smiled a bit to myself as Liara and Ashley embraced and I thought I could just make out a 'good luck' given by my gunnery chief, but I wrote it off as leftover grief as Ashley left my quarters with a hiss from the door. Liara slowly made her way to my bed and held me close so that my head was resting on her chest.  
>"Lizz?" Her voice broke into my subconscious as her hand stroked my hair.<br>"Yes, my beautiful blue bird?" I replied as I held onto her form tightly.  
>"You were very brave for what you did, no one could've handled that any better." I went to disregard her comment, but I had to think about it, and found yes, I handled that situation fairly well. Anyone else would've cracked under the pressure or gone insane. I slowly worked out I did very well on this mission as my asari nuzzled the top of my head.<br>"You...are right, Liara." I felt her smile and lightly kiss the top of my head.  
>"Of course I am, I'm always honest when it comes to you." She stated as she rubbed my back causing me to purr despite what was plaguing my mind.<br>"I just hope the Council will listen and aid us in locating the conduit."  
>"I'm sure they will, they are blind fools if they don't." She gently lifted my chin up to meet her eyes. "But until then, here is your reward, Commander." She smirked before claiming my lips lifting a weight I didn't know was on me; igniting a fire I didn't know was dim as I kissed back with fervour. Liara flipped over, straddling my hips while caressing my shoulders. "Liara." I moaned as an unfamiliar but arousing sensation shook me; I opened my eyes and saw my love stroking a bright blue biotic cat tail. Her strokes sent shivers along my spine as I gripped the sheets. "Liara." I said again. "You know I'll stop no matter how far, but by the Goddess you're making it hard!"<br>"And what if I didn't want to stop?" She spoke evenly even though I could see and feel her body tremble "And keep going until we reach the Council?" I moaned in pleasure as she lay on top of me, her chest pressed against mine.  
>"Liara, are you sure?" Liara smiled as she stroked the biotic cat ears that sprouted.<br>"I've never been more sure of anything in my life." I sighed in relief hearing her signal and gripped her, rising as she continued to speak. "Will you join with me, Lizz? Have our bodies and minds unite in a way we have yet to experience with each other?" I gently placed my fingertips at her temples and gently murmured.  
>"Embrace Eternity." I felt my system meld with Liara and she gasped at my mind entering hers.<br>"L-Lizz...how...when?"  
>"Not too long ago on Virmire, I thought I'd surprise you, I'm not that strong yet so this won't last long." I flooded her mind with memories and emotions and sensations she's ever given me and her reaction was delicious. Her sounds and physical convulsions while on top of me and she could feel everything she ever did to me and I felt everything I did to her. It didn't last long before I was feeling mentally spent, but Liara gripped my skull and nearly snarled.<br>"Not yet!" And then gently whispered. "Embrace eternity." This meld of ours was unlike anything I experienced. She sent waves of mental energy so I could still be one within her; our thoughts a mere echo as our bodies easily communicated and explored each other with such simplicity it was like touching our own. Primal or simple words swept through our minds in a communication parallel to our actions.  
><em>Children?<em>_  
><em>_Yes.__  
><em>_Possible?__  
><em>_Practice and accuracy.__  
><em>_Try?__  
><em>_Yes yes yes._  
>I felt her enter my nervous system and attempt to pinpoint the exact thing that made me me. This would be way too fast for some, but some part of me knew it was the perfect time. I gripped her neck with my teeth and relished in the sensations of her sounds and feeling my own teeth on my neck. Her nails dragging along my back as her core throbbed in a need she hadn't yet experienced.<br>_In me now.__  
><em>_Now?__  
><em>_No questions.__  
><em>_Slow. Gentle.__  
><em>_Promise?__  
><em>_Yes._  
>I used my biotics to suspend her so I could lap at her center while suspended, her lack of experience heightening the sensations shared within our bond. I then gently laid her on top of poised and ready fingers, holding her hips, gently guiding her so we didn't share any sort of pain. I enjoyed the view of her chest rising and falling from my ministrations and she was enjoying being watched. I felt her first ever orgasm strike within me as she sought to untangle and meld with the core of my patch work genetics. I felt something escalate before in a sudden moment we were both within our own minds, completely mentally drained. We lay there; her on top of me and me on the sheets, panting in sheer exhaustion.<br>"That was...wow!" I said simply not daring to move.  
>"By the Goddess, that was...YOU were amazing, Commander." My bondmate purred in the afterglow, wrapping her arms tight around me. I kissed the top of her crest gently, feeling at home for the first time in a long time.<br>"I can't take all the credit now, my little bird." I cooed stroking her back despite the aches in my muscles. "If it weren't for you we wouldn't have lasted as long as we did." Liara giggled and blushed as she stroked the cat ears that had yet to disappear.  
>"It'll take practice, no doubt. Lucky for you, Commander I have a great amount of patience "<br>"Lucky for you I have a high libido." I teased as she smacked my chest lightly. Suddenly a thought occurred to me and very nearly sat upright. "Wait...are you-?"  
>"No, Lizz, if I was I wouldn't refrain such knowledge from you. I was so close though, I could feel it."<br>"So...you think we could? Have a few little blue children I mean?"  
>"I don't see why we couldn't, Lizz, even though you were created artificially you still have an ancestral core, I just need to find it. I was close until we became too exhausted to continue."<br>"Finding an ancestral core for a being that's part human, part any feline on Earth, part AsarI I didn't think would be an easy feat."  
>"Oh it's not. That's why the Bond stopped so suddenly, this is unlike anything I have experienced; maybe even to other Asari melding with you would be difficult or an oddity. You physically and mentally had me spent, although I didn't really mind." She purred the last part seductively and I was starting to suddenly regain my energy.<br>"Just so you know after this mission we are NOT leaving any room until you are carrying a little baby Deatori." Liara smiled and kissed my lips gently.  
>"I wouldn't have it any other way." I wrapped my arms around her, kissing her gently.<br>"So much for 'until we reach the Citadel, we aren't even half way there." Liara pouted before protesting.  
>"I wasn't expecting you to Bond with me and needing to lend you my energy even if you are part Asari!" I chuckled and stroked her cheek.<br>"Relax, dear, that was still a really long time." I looked over to the clock to emphasize my point. "Three hours to be exact." Liara blushed furiously and I held onto her enjoying my time with her in my arms, trying to remember when exactly our clothes were discarded in rather creative ways around the room when a voice from the speakers broke our peace.  
>"Hey, Commander?" I groaned, wanting to zap the thing with my biotics and transform it into a football.<br>"Joker, we aren't even there yet!"  
>"It's not that, Commander, Ash says she needs to see you, something about lesson two."<br>"Roger that, Joker."  
>"Alright, Commander, I'll let you know when we are approaching the Citadel." With that we were alone again; Liara sighed and rose from the bed I grabbed her wrist and whimpered.<br>"Where are you going?"  
>"Well, you have a lesson with Ashley and I need to get some of my original clothes on since mine are..." she held up a shred of her biotically ripped coat. "No longer going to be worn."<br>"Any regrets, T'Soni?"  
>"None whatsoever, but I do need to wear something."<br>"You could go as you are now, I wouldn't mind. And plus how could the geth and Reapers destroy the world when my naked asari is wielding a pistol?" The Asari arched her eyebrow with her hands on her hips, now dressed in some N7 sweatpants and hoodie.  
>"Well, well, Commander, if I didn't know better, I'd say you WANT to see me wielding, shooting and operating a pistol naked."<br>"I have my fantasies." I shrugged rising from the bed getting some new clothes on since mine were also in a state of shreds. "Alright, so I go see what Ash can do to prevent me from going Hulk on everyone and you get your own clothes and meet up back here after?" Liara approached me, looking very, VERY good in my black and red hoodie and sweatpants, and briefly kissed me.  
>"I wouldn't have it any other way, Commander." She winked and left out the doors and Ashley stepped in.<br>"Oh, Ash, I thought that I was coming to you." The gunnery chief rolled her eyes playfully.  
>"No offense, Skipper, but I think the only one cumming was Liara." She picked up a shredded article of clothing. "Unless what I saw wasn't Liara in an afterglow and you actually had her explode and these are the remains." I laughed before shrugging.<br>"Guilty. But seriously, why are you here?" Ashley smiled before pointing to my sound system by my bed.  
>"Because you have a way better system for music then I do." I looked at her confused before she turned on a prehistoric pop song from my system and turned to me smiling. "We all know, Skipper, you are a wordsmith when you need to be, but a poet you are not. So I'm thinking that maybe the Guardian will respond to your humorous side since it technically is you, just more homicidal."<br>"So how's this going to help."  
>"Because you're witty on the spot, and this leads us to our second lesson: parodies."<br>**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8: parodies and Pilgrimage**

"No, no, no you've got to _feel_ it, Skipper, or else you're just going to sound stupid." Ashley tapped her foot at what felt like the thousandth attempt of me making an actual heartfelt parody.  
>"This <em>is<em> stupid, Ash. The Guardian wants intelligence not ripoffs."  
>"And what's more intelligent then incorporating your own words to a beat that already exists? Putting in a flow of words no other would dare to try because they think they wouldn't sound decent at best?" I opened my mouth to rebuke, but had none. She had a point; the feline Guardian purred at the idea of making original lyrics obsolete to my words.<br>"Fine, one more time." I sighed in exasperation as Ash clicked on another song, but unlike the others, my ears perked at the beat. "This is Always be Mine by nightcore." I spoke in surprise that Ashley would pick my favorite or even know one of my favorite songs. Said gunnery chief shrugged.  
>"Then you won't totally butcher it." She put simply. "Since you care so much about any songs under the folder 'my prehistoric favs' you'll probably end up doing a decent parody." I grew antsy as the beat was nearing the part lyrics would be sung.<br>"Ash, this is not going to...  
>I just smashed a geth<br>with a shotgun.  
>The Council makes me want to stay in space for a while.<br>Only to embrace eternity with my asari.  
>But the Reapers are coming back; they think it's lies.<br>Now I'm here with you, in the captains room  
>Trying to gain control<br>Of the beast inside  
>The council gives me no other choice<br>When they say I lie  
>I have no other choice, but to cross the line."<br>The beat radiated and I was feeling rather comfortable, even Ashley was liking it.  
>"Go, Skipper." She said with a smile, turning off the music, which I found my Guardian and I were rather disappointed. "Good job, really, but I doubt you want to spend too much time honing your skills with me when I know of a blue scientist awaiting to get a few more moments with you." I smiled and embraced the one I marked as my sister.<br>"I appreciate it, Ash, but before I see Liara, I need to see Sparky." Ash rolled her eyes at my choice of nickname for Tali.  
>"What on Earth do you want with Tali? Isn't she hot for Garrus right now?" I held up my hands in minor disgust.<br>"Ash, please I love them both as siblings I DON'T need to imagine them getting laid let alone with each other, even though that had yet to happen. I'm happy for them and all, but I'd rather not think about anyone else's sex life." Ash arched an eyebrow.  
>"Never pegged you for one to get squeamish about one's love life there, Skipper, since your lover is so keen to share hers."<br>"I...she did WHAT?" I stammered in shock. Before Liara, my previous relationship was always private; we had to, never spoke of it to many, never purely displayed acts, nothing. To hear my shy little Liara was SHARING stories of what we have ever done had me blushing.  
>"Yup she's been venting her frustrations to Tali and I, more so to Tali; I gotta say, bout time, Skipper." She winked and I felt myself flush before she patted me on the shoulder. "If you wanna know more go speak with Sparky, Liara speaks more to her than I. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if she didn't already know what you two just did." I resisted the urge to hide my face in my hands until Ashley was well out of my cabin and in the elevator. Then I distracted myself, grabbing the data I retrieved from a geth that Tali would love for her Pilgrimage and deepen the bond between us.<br>'Ash is only yanking your chain, Deatori. There's no way Liara is saying anything about us. Goddess but what is she saying if she is?' I shook my head while riding the elevator. 'Stop acting stupid. I scolded myself. You need to trust her she simply went to her rooms, everything is fine.' The said asari emerged from the engine room, still in my hoodie and sweatpants practically giggling.  
>"I'll share more, my dearest sister." She giggled. "For now I need to get to my rooms before- oh, Lizz!" She smiled a bit before blushing at my awestruck appearance. "I was just, uhm..."<br>"Helping me calibrate some data on the engine, Commander, nothing to worry." Tali appeared from nowhere and feigned typing numbers into her omni-tool. "We were testing the performance of the engine after adding a part to it and I must say, the diagnostics say it performs exceptionally well, or so Liara claims." I could see the blush through the mask Tali wore and the blush my beloved held as she gently smacked Tali's arm. I eventually found my voice.  
>"And what exactly did you add?" I asked for mostly my own amusement then for anything else.<br>"A blue...uhm...uh..."  
>"The '<em>engine<em>' is you, Deatori!" Wrex shouted from his corner. "And the '_blue uhm_' is that lovely asari of yours! Gotta say, Commander you may just be my rival from how well your _'engine performance'_ is. Heh heh." I felt a blush upon my face before I felt cooling blue hands on my cheeks, pulling me into a quick kiss.  
>"Are you mad?" She asked with a small pout on her, lips hiding in the hood of my hoodie. I smiled as I rubbed her back.<br>"No, I'm not. Embarrassed to hell, maybe, but not mad." Liara smiled and kissed my cheek before replacing me in the elevator.  
>"Good, but I really must go this time or else someone else may see me in your clothes, and we wouldn't want that, would we?" She winked as the doors closed and I couldn't believe my once painfully shy Prothean expert was slowly turning into a sultry information broker.<br>"So...was there something you needed from me, Kitten?" Tali asked in minor amusement, using my nickname she used for me since I called her 'Sparky'. "What's that you got in your hand?" I just realized the memory core I had in my hands and smirked as I tossed it to her.  
>"Check it for yourself, Sparky. I think it may be of SOME use to you." The shrouded Quarian examined the memory core before the small flicks of light that were her eyes opened in surprise.<br>"This is a geth memory core!" She exclaimed. "Commander Deatori...you, you _listened_ to me talking of my Pilgrimage?" I nodded my head.  
>"If there was a way for me to help you and your people, Tali, I don't mind helping. You are a sister to me, Sparky and I-." All words died on my tongue as my sister embraced me.<br>"Thank you, Lizz, thank you. A thousand times, thank you." I gently hugged her back so I wouldn't break the seals of her suit. We separated and she saluted me. "It's an honor to serve you, Commander. But off the record..." she dropped her stance. "It's good to have you as a sister, Kitten."  
>"And it's an honor to be yours, Sparky." We shared a smile before the familiar crackle sounded overhead.<br>"Commander, we touched down on the Citadel, the Council is waiting for you."  
>"Be there in a moment, Joker!" I called back. I nudged the alien woman I called sister. "Come on, I want you and Ash with me on this."<br>"But what about Liara?"  
>"She's rather sore at the moment I don't want her moving so much " Tali giggled while Wrex laughed like thunder at overhearing us.<br>"So, Kitten, when do you think I'll be an aunt?" She questioned mildly as if talking of the weather.  
>"As soon as we can get more time to find my ancestral core." I answered just as mildly. "Now come on, we have a Council to see."<br>**XXXXXXXX**

**Here they are the two chapters, short I know buuuut hopefully the fact that there's two makes up for it? -begs- I Know this isnt how they wound up being the first Joining, but hey are MY puppets damnit -.- AND a different Shepard or Deatori or whatever, so I hope its not too much of a let down for some of you. Anyway, I enjoy writing for this and imma do so until it bores me (whispers: it won't) sooooo almost there to ME2 eh? WHATEVER am I going to write up next for the series I dunno I STILL gotta finish THIS ONE! Enjoy my lovlies :)**

**Runecat311**


End file.
